Misty Blue
by Da'khari
Summary: Mercy Jones; the Preachers Daughter, is scouted for her unique 1930-40s singing voice, by Sam Evans the son of the owner of Stardaz Recording Company, the relationship take many forms in their quest for a new sound.
1. Chapter 1

**Misty Blue**

 **UPDATED**

Mercy had always wanted to sing, from as far back in her life as she could remember that was what she was going to be about, singing beautiful ballads that people were going to remember her for, she didn't want much that was all. She'd grown up in some back of the bush village in Lima known only to the people that actually lived there, it was the kind of town people who were on the run from the Feds, or such, might be glad to have found, because very little traffic went through it. Nothing extra ordinary happened there, they had one juice bar which came to life on Thursdays, if she was lucky enough to get out the house at 19, she'd sit across the river from it listening to the sweet music coming from the wooden hut, or peep in on risk taking days. Church on Sunday and Choir practice almost every other day except Tuesday which was store day. There were two white families in the vicinity one owned the grocery store and the other ran the small branch of the bank in the town. Mercy was glad she didn't belong to any of the two families because although there was nothing much for anyone to do in the small town for white folk there was even less. Living there you could have easily been excused for thinking you were living in the 1930s or there about life was slow and simple, people didn't have much and they still shared.

After choir practice, while the adults were doing prayers to a small group of people requesting it, she would get together, with some like minded friends and talk about their dreams and maybe sing a little sometimes, not too loud, trying to make good of an already impossible situation

One Sunday during service Mercy got terrible stomach cramps and her Mom agreed for her to make her way home to lay down "Straight home now girl, anyone you should be scared of is in Church right now" she said looking around as she spoke. Mercy didn't need telling twice she was in serious pain she left directly for home. As she got to the river, she was just about to run across the make shift bridge when she heard singing going on at the hut "I didn't know they sang on Sundays" she said out loud diverting and making her way there. She sat closer than she'd ever sat to that hut she could see inside easily and marvelled at all the colourful dresses and free talk that was happening in there

"You're Pastor Jones' daughter" a voice came from nowhere saying to her

"Yes Mam" she said to the slender, light skinned woman standing in front of her, covered in green glitter from head to shoes, she'd never seen her before

"You sing yeah?" she asked

"In church, yes Mam"

"Hut's like a church only sermon's are through the music, your Dad does comedy in here every month" the lady said "Come with me" she instructed, Mercy didn't ask any questions she just followed. The woman brought her to the back of the stage as she stood behind a curtain looking at a sea of, mainly men watching someone on stage "I'll be back in a minute" the lady said leaving her right there as she went on stage. Mercy stood back stage feeling the urge to go forward and sing her heart out, having that spotlight on her was what she'd always dreamed of and no way was she going to get that feeling in Church she dared to close her eyes and imagine this lady was her living her dream. Mercy opened her eyes eventually to see the lady looking down at her "You could get the bug yeah?" she asked

"I got the bug Lady" Mercy said

"You want to try?" she asked

"I don't know"

"Life ain't waiting, make your mind up, how old are you?"

"21" Mercy lied

"Make your mind up" the lady told her again

Mercy closed her eyes for a second opening them saying "Yes I want to sing like Etta James" with a smile on her face

"Go out there and do it girl"

Mercy's feet felt like led initially but as she got closer to the light she shed that heavy skin and started to feel like she was coming alive. She got out on stage fumbled with the mic for a short while, closing her eyes and thinking 'What would Etta do?' before delivering her version of **'Misty Blue' by Monica** for her audience, she felt elated when she got her very first standing ovation

"Millie" someone shouted as the Lady walked her off the stage "Millie" she heard again "Wait up" the man shouted, Mercy stopped, and looked up at the lady pulling her with her

"Are you Millie?" she asked

"Shit" Millie said looking down at her before spinning round "Yes Sam how can I help you?" she asked putting on a false smile

"You know how you can help me Millie" he smiled looking down at Mercy "Hello Pretty" he said as Mercy delivered the biggest smile having never been called that before and by a white man "How old are you?" he asked

"21" Mercy informed him

"My name's Sam" he said holding his hand out "Sam Evans and I'd like to have words with your Manager about getting you signed up"

"Signed up for?" Mercy asked

"Making records Miss ..."

"Jones, Sorry Miss Mercy Jones" Mercy said offering her hand "I don't have a manager just parents and a Church choir I'm supposed to be with right now" she smiled

"I could come speak to your parents tell them about this great opportunity you're being offered"

"Are you for real" Mercy laughed "You wouldn't even get past the church door let alone our house"

"At least let me try, I could really do things with your sound" he said enthusiastically

"Do things with my sound?" Mercy mimicked "Is this guy serious?" she asked the lady standing with her she now knew to be Millie

"I'm afraid he might be but you, seriously, don't have to do anything you don't want to do here, he doesn't own anything right now"

"She's right I don't but if you really want to sing I'm the man that can help you" Sam told her

"Man you don't look a day older than me" Mercy laughed

"I'm 22, and my Dad owns a record company, but I'm just breaking in and with a sound like yours I'd be well on the way to earning my stripe as a legitimate contender in the business" Sam said

"But can he be trusted?" Mercy asked Millie

"Well he's never asked me to sign with him, but I know his company signed Amy Green about a year ago and look where she is" Millie replied smiling

"I can't say anything you need to come speak to my parents if you really mean this" Mercy informed him

"Give me an address, it won't be today because of church but it will happen" he smiled taking a pen out for Mercy to give him her address "You do understand that I'll need you to come to Los Angeles with me?" Sam asked her

"Los Angeles where's that?" she asked

"Where people who really want to sing need to be" he replied giving her a smile

Two days later he arrived at her parents home with his stories of stardom, his mouth full of sincerity and money for the start up fees that would be coming to her family every month until she got back safely.

 **Saturday**

Saturday morning Mercy's worldly belongings were packed into a backpack and she became a singer for Stardaz Record Company signed up by Sam Evans

The first 6 months were hard work, she'd been given a room in a building that was almost managed by Blanc, who acted like a chaperone for the girls, no men, alcohol or drugs allowed those were her only rules and Mercy was fine with that, she had no time for any of it anyway. The house was respectable and close to the Studio she frequented every day, she'd got her routine going and she could almost time it.

"Morning Mercy" Sam would say, he was always the first person to speak to her, like he was waiting at the gate or something

"Morning Sam" she'd reply

"Doing something special for me today?"

"Very I'm here" she'd reply cheekily as he walked her to the sound room where they'd sit for most of the day talking about music, sounds and then late afternoon she'd sing him a song just how he'd want to hear it, he'd smile kiss her cheek and she'd leave for home, depending on the time sometimes he'd walk her home. They'd actually become friends over the months and a trip to the local cafe during dinner time turned from once a week to every day and sometimes after studio

"Sam" his Dad had called him one day as he went to go fetch Mercy to get lunch "I know you're friendly with that black girl son but people are starting to talk, you have to promise me this friendship will go no further than friends I don't think the business could take such a knock" he asked

Sam lived for pleasing his Dad, he was his hero, there was only one answer he could give and that was "Dad I promise, she's a friend, she's all alone in LA she knows no one and I promised her parents I'd look out for her" he said smiling with his Dad "Trust me I know what I'm doing"

"I think you maybe need to let her know that too son" he advised him

"I will" Sam said walking away from his Dad "At some point" he finished once out of ear shot "Mercy Lunch" he called as he walked past her recording booth

"Coming" she replied smiling as he gave her his full on into you smile

 **Lunch**

They ordered and went to their usual seats, said hello to the locals and got into their usual music orientated conversation, Mercy had made a decision about something she was singing with one of the writers and she was in full blown wow about it she was just chatting away about the whole experience and her feelings and stuff and Sam sat listening excited for her.

He watched as her mouth moved rhythmically with periodic smiles producing cute dimples in her cheeks, the way her eyes flickered nervously when she caught herself staring at his lips, the glisten in her eyes when he bigged up her achievement. He smiled at her passion that was present in her voice when she spoke of her music, she had a happy spirit but knew how to sass with the rest of the women and took no shit when the time called for sternness. He looked into her eyes and smiled yes she was comfortable with him and he was proud, very proud of the almost single handed fight she'd had to get her style kept at the forefront of everything she did, she was so in love with Etta James, obsessed almost

"Do I have food on my face?" she asked

"What; no" he replied taken out of his thoughts

"You were staring, I thought you were trying to tell me I had food on my face or something" she smiled wiping her face anyway

"No sorry I was listening and then I must have drifted off into work stuff"

"Am I boring you Sam Evans" she smiled

"No, No your not I've just got a lot on"

"Don't let me keep you if you have stuff to do" she replied concerned

"No carry on"

"As I was saying Joe, you know the drummer asked me out and well I didn't say no but I wish I had now"

"What, who, Joe?" Sam asked puzzled "You said no right?" he asked obviously not hearing the whole sentence

"I didn't say yes but I didn't say no either" she laughed "He's cute though" she added

"No you can't see Joe what the hell would I tell you parents, no tell him no when you get back" Sam shouted at her as Mercy looked at him shocked

"Sam are you okay?" she asked "You're as red as blood"

"For all the trouble you're bringing on me Mercy, your Dad wasn't joking"

"I know, but I have no intentions past food and maybe a goodnight kiss" she laughed "You should know by now I don't really do the boyfriend thing"

"I still say no" Sam said in spoilt child mode

"It's up to me Sam and I'm sure my Dad would prefer me to find someone out here than to go back home and marry one of the regular guys we have up there, he's always said that" she corrected Sam

"So are you going to do as I ask?" he came back with like he wasn't listening to a word she'd said

"Does our friendship depend on it?" she asked smiling

"No" he smiled back

"So I'll think about what you want before I give him a real answer" she giggled "But I'm gonna say yes" she stopped to say "A girl needs attention"

"Don't I give you attention every damn day?" he asked

"Yeah you do but Sam, we're friends" she reminded him

"What if..." he said lingering off when he remembered his promise to his Dad

"What if what?"

"It doesn't matter" he said lowering his eyes to the drink getting cold in front of him, grabbing his sandwich and taking a violent bite

"I thought I was the Diva" she said rolling her eyes at him making him laugh

 **The next 6 Months**

Sam had been pursued by a girl called Gwen for the longest time and they'd had conversations about his situation on various occasions

"I don't know why you'd want to go against anything your Dad asked you to do" Mercy had said to him one lunch time when he'd informed her of the pairing by his Father "You know he wouldn't do anything to hurt you, just see how you get on" She'd encouraged him. Resulting in a first date and within the month Gwen seemed to become a permanent fixture at the studio, first Sam was saying _"I'm off to lunch with my friend Mercy"_ and she'd just look in Mercy's direction wanting to say something but not able to for whatever reason. Then lunch took on a three seat situation where Mercy sat watching Sam and Gwen make out for most of her meal and eventually she left them alone, Sam wasn't happy about it but he had this girl now who monopolised his time in the biggest way

"Hi Sam, Gwen" Mercy walked into the cafe one lunch time saying, with Joe in tow

"Mercy" Sam said his eyes lit up but quickly turned a dark green when he saw Joe "Joe" he said much flatter

"We started stepping out so I guess we'll see you in here on a regular" she said her usual bubbly self walking off to find a quiet corner to sit in. "Is here alright?" she asked Joe, he nodded and pulled her chair out for her, the meal was filled with laughing and chat while Sam's meal sat on the table while Gwen ate his face off at every opportunity, him getting angry with every giggle he heard coming from Mercy's mouth.

"Don't you two have work to do?" he finally asked when he couldn't take it any more almost pitching Gwen off his lap when he got

"Yeah but we got ten minutes left" Joe informed him, Mercy, whose back was to him anyway, didn't react

That lasted for about 4 days before Sam followed Mercy into the bathroom and demanded she not see Joe any more "Why? What's it got to do with you who I see?" she asked stunned at his request "And excuse me but don't you have Gwen sitting out there waiting on you Mr Evans?"

"I do and please" he said banging the sink "Don't tell me what I have, I know what I have, it's what I want that's causing me the problem"

"I don't understa..." Mercy got out before Sam grabbed her face and pulled it to him kissing her hard and deep, Mercy took the kiss she really didn't know what was happening all she really knew was that she wasn't offended by it

"We need to talk, I need time, can we make that happen later on?" he asked when he finally let her lips go

"Sam this can't happen" she said holding onto the sink to steady herself "We can't do this"

"Just meet me later, after studio, we can talk" he ordered "Will you, meet me I mean?" he said holding her face again, softer this time

"Sam" She said defeated "We can't do this, we come from different lives, it's an impossible situation"

"Please just meet me later and I'll explain everything to you" his eyes begging, searching, longing for her to say yes "At the cafe please" he said as she stared at him willing herself to say no

"An hour, I'll give you an hour later" she finally said walking out of the bathroom leaving him standing there with his thoughts

That afternoon Sam finished lunch with Gwen and Mercy with Joe but there was no talking or making out in public, both were quiet as their other halves did all the talking and Sam spent most the time pushing Gwen off him

"Honestly Gwen I'm not really into all this PDA could you stop please" he eventually said pushing her off him one final time, looking across the cafe to see Mercy watching them

"You distracted by all their PDA?" Joe asked Mercy as he watched her watching them"I usually sit that side do you want to swap it doesn't really bother me" he suggested

"You're fine I just think it's a bit full on you know" she said unlocking eyes with Sam to pay attention to Joe

Eventually lunch was over and they returned to the studio did their thing and left for their secret meeting back at the cafe

 **The Meeting**

"Hi, thanks for coming" he said as he pulled the chair out for her to sit in

"An hour" Mercy reminded him as she put her bag on the table and pulled her chair in

"Well as I said earlier" he smiled nervously "Sorry do you want a drink or something?"

"Usual please" she smiled as he got up to go get her order and come back

"As I was saying" he said as he placed the drink in front of her, and took his seat "I know this is an impossible situation but I'm well; let me start at the beginning" he said taking a sip of his drink before rubbing the back of his neck nervously as his face changed to serious and he grabbed Mercy's hand "I like you Mercy a lot and I know there are a lot of things stopping us from happening but I need it to happen so bad" he said, looking at the table as Mercy pulled her hand away from him

"Sam don't do this, it's an impossible situation, we can't be together ever" she said tearing up

"I know not while my Father's alive anyway"

"What do you mean?" she asked quickly wiping her eyes looking around to see if they were drawing attention

"I sort of promised my Dad, a while ago, that I wouldn't get involved with you, romantically that is, and I guess Gwen was a consequence of him seeing that this was happening" he said looking at Mercy for his last few words

"You should listen to your Dad" she chuckled nervously "Look Sam, I'd be lying if I said the thought had never crossed my mind at one time or another, your a good looking guy, for a white boy" she smiled "but you know outside of the music business I can't think of anywhere else our kind mix with your kind, don't tell me you don't know what I'm talking about" she thinned her eyes to say to him.

"Don't think I haven't had that conversation with myself several times Mercy but the heart wants what the heart wants and mine wants you" he said bringing those puppy eyes out again, as Mercy rolled her eyes for his constant use of emotional blackmail

"Sam think logically, you work in your fathers business, I sing in your father's company, my record hits in three weeks. I've worked for over 7 months to get this one record on the selves, I left my family to follow my dream and as cute as you are, your not part of that dream" she half smiled

"I'm not asking to be a part of your past dreams Mercy I'm asking to be a part of your future ones"

"Sam" she said deflated "Your going to go against everything your Dad asked of you, for what?" she asked blowing hard, grabbing her head with her two hands

"For you Mercy"

"We want different things in life Sam, I need my music, it's what I live for, your Dad puts a block on that and my life is over in the music world and you know this"

"I need you to come away with me Mercy" he said grabbing after her hand frowning when she pulled away "Choose me before he makes me marry this damn woman!" Sam shouted as Mercy looked around the cafe as the few people present looked at them shaking their heads in disgust

"This just gets worse" she said grabbing her bag and getting up from the table

"Mercy please" he grabbed after her but missed she turned to glance at him before replying

"Sam you just told me your getting married for God sake, have some respect for yourself, if not then for her" she said and she was gone

 **The Studio**

The next day Sam turned up at the studio after Mercy there was no usual banter, no smile, as his Father strolled in behind him, hands in the air "Celebration today guys my son is getting married" he announced as Sam stood looking the saddest Mercy had ever seen him and everyone clapped and congratulated him. He wasn't in the booth either all morning, which made Mercy sad for the sudden change his revelations had brought to their relationship that had been going so well.

"Mercy" Sam almost shouted across the small room, as he walked in to find her sat on Joe's lap, listening to her latest take on her finished first single "A minute please" he said a bit calmer as Joe let her go to get to him. Surprisingly he walked her away from the door and a way down the corridor before speaking "You need to get rid of Joe before I do it for you" he spun her round saying

"What?" she asked shocked

"You heard me, get rid of him by the end of the day or he'll have no job, who the fuck are you telling to try you"

"But Sam tha..." she shook her head saying

"I really don't care what that's not, I asked you to be with me and you blanked me for him, I'd prefer him gone but I'll settle for split for now and you stay friends with him and he will be gone"

"Sam" she said through clenched teeth

"You want music stick to music, and make him the very last one everyone you even look at from today will get the sack and" he said lifting her head up to look into his eyes "I love your angry face" he smiled "but I mean every word I say, you will be mine"

"What if that's not what I want?" she asked too angry to really speak but she wasn't going to let him go away thinking he'd got her where he wanted her

"Tell me, tell me now that this" he said pressing up against her "Is not what you need"

"Sam" she said pushing him off her

"Tell me"

"I, I"

"Everything alright there Mercy" Joe shouted up the corridor

"Yeah just coming" Mercy shouted back down to him

"You were weren't you?" Sam smiled at her "Remember get rid of him" his face straightened to say "She'll be in in a minute" Sam called down to him as Joe stepped off back into the sound room "Tell me"

"Sam" she said unable to look into his eyes "It's not what I want" she said

"Look at me and say that"

"Sam your Dad just announced less than 4 hours ago your getting married leave me alone" she said deflated

"I'm waiting" he smiled "So is Joe" he added looking back down the corridor

"Okay Sam I like you too is that what you want to hear, was I really going to leave my home town and come all the way here with strangers if I didn't? But the situation is you are who you are and I am who I am and never the twain shall meet. 6 months ago this might have been a chance I would have considered taking, but there is no future for us and I've accepted that even more so after today's announcement and I need you to please leave me alone" she said looking at him

"So your not saying you don't feel the same your saying I'm with Gwen?"

"You are Sam and it's not fair for you to almost ban me from seeing men because you like me, I like you but your marrying Gwen and I've said nothing bad about that or forbid you to do it, have I?"

"There's a difference" he said looking at her deep in the eyes "I love you"

"Sam" she said moving his arm that stopped her from getting away with ease and walking away

"I want him gone Mercy, I mean it" he shouted after her as she looked back at him with pain on her face

Sam stood in the corridor for a while thinking about what he'd just done instinctively, he knew he was being unreasonable asking this of Mercy but seriously he felt fit for bursting into some dangerous beast every time he saw her talking to anyone male, female, young, old anyone because it wasn't him. He'd kicked himself less than a week after making that promise to his Dad about keeping away from her. He knew there was something there that first time he saw her but it was well into the fourth month of working together before he realised what that feeling was and yes, his dad was right, he was about to act on it. It hit him like forbidden fruit syndrome, everything she did turned his buttons on and she quickly became a craving he couldn't shake, when his Dad introduced Gwen to him he was about to bare all to Mercy and ask her to leave everything and run away with him, he was that serious. His Dad seemed to always be one step ahead of him as the night he'd planned on telling Mercy his plan his Dad announced Gwen as his girlfriend and after Gwen must have mentioned to his Dad, what had been said in the cafe about her providing to much PDA his Dad told him it was time for marriage and grandchildren. His insides were screaming no god no externally he was lifting eyebrows like he was on the same page and listening to suggestions from his parents on how to pop the question. The next day he'd took the bull by the horns and told Mercy they needed to talk, "seems like an age ago" he said to himself "But that was yesterday". He'd got home after his meeting with Mercy to find Gwen at the house

"Hope you don't mind son we took the liberty of inviting Gwen after our little discussion yesterday" his Dad said "Why don't you two go out on the balcony" he said showing them to the door, and as Sam passed he pushed his Grandmother's wedding ring box in his hand raising his brow at him telling him to get the job done in his usual non-verbal way. He loves his Dad and wrongly or rightly he wanted him to have everything he asked for, so he asked the question, got the answer and informed the parents. Now he was standing looking at the one person in the world he really loved, not explaining himself very well, using threats to keep hold of the one constant that he enjoyed having in his life and feeling like crap for doing it. "This is the 1980's colour shouldn't matter" he told himself banging his hand on the wall before walking off back to his Dad's office

Mercy went back smiling "I think my song's ready" she announced when she got back to the sound room, not having told anyone that Sam had given her a release date a while back

"Great news" Joe said picking her up and spinning her round as she laughed "when is it?" he asked

"Three weeks today" she said proudly

 **The Cafe**

Lunch went through in a daze for her, Joe might have thought it was because she was in seventh heaven for her song coming out, and she was but revelations with Sam earlier had her brain in a spin

He'd had her from the hello pretty he'd said back in Lima, swept her off her feet and straight into LA, she'd begged her parents just as much as he had and she was so wrapped when they finally said yes, she knew it was the money thing that swayed them but did she care, no. That first month was spectacular Sam was with her every waking second and they became really good friends, the second month was sensational and from there things just got better, she was in love, infatuated, Swept off her toes everything and they couldn't do enough to please each other about month five she had a really weird conversation with his Dad, that she really didn't understand. Joe found her crying in the cafe one morning and she told him everything about the conversation

"Don't worry about that" Joe had said "He's just marking your card he thinks your sweet on his son" he assured her "You stick with me you'll be alright"

"So he wants me to stop talking to Sam, why didn't he just say that?" she asked Joe

"Because white folk never want to appear to be racist" he smiled "I'll go to lunch with you, leave him to his girl" Joe had suggested

So they started a new friendship that quickly turned to a casual walking out and before it could get anywhere near serious Sam reared his head again, she loved his your mine behaviour found it sexy even and that kiss she thought rolling her eyes at the memory, she remembered walking out of that bathroom feeling so sexy, she smiled. She'd throw Joe away a the blink of an eye had Sam not been engaged to Gwen, but, could she bank on him not going through with his threat to get rid of Joe if she didn't finish with him tonight? Was she willing to find out? Did she really have any feelings for Joe? "Yes, No and No" she said out loud before looking at Joe who was watching her think

"Joe" she smiled "I don't want you to get any ideas about what this isn't so can I make it clear, we're friends right?" she asked

"Yeah any way you want it remember" he replied

"Friends then" she said "No more kissing, hugging nothing just friends" she said holding her hand out for him to shake

"Whatever you say" he smiled picking his drink up to sip as he watched her from above his cup rim

"You're a good friend Joe" she smiled at him before taking another sip of her drink

"So your song hits the stands in three weeks how do you feel?" he asked

"Elated"

"And how does Sam feel?"

"Happy with it I guess, he's too engrossed in his wedding to spend time with anyone right now Gwen's a nice woman" she said her usual happy self

"I really wouldn't know" Joe said suspect

 **Three Weeks Later**

"Mercy" Sam shouted from out of his office as she ran past "Here a minute please" he smiled as she came back into view for him "You're just in time, come on in, shut the door" he ordered not looking up from the note he was reading "I have something for you" he said smiling at her before getting up to turn his radio on "In about a minute" he said going to stand closer to her

"What?" she asked as she heard her name on the radio and her song started playing **"A Sunday kind of Love' by Dinah Washington** , Mercy was uncontrollably screaming "My song, My Song" as Sam grabbed hold of her and started slow dancing her around his office. Eventually she calmed down and started dancing with him resting her head on his chest as she relaxed into her song "All that hard work" she smiled up at him when it finished as they looked into each others eyes for the longest time

"I want that kind of love too Mercy"

"Sam" she said attempting to pull away but he grabbed her harder

"Mercy" he said in a tone she'd never heard before "I love you, I can't help it, I don't want to help it please love me back" he said looking at her with those sad eyes again

"I love you too Sam" she said a single tear falling down her cheek as they stared at each other for the longest time

"Did you just hear Mercy's song on the radio?" his Dad came into the office saying

"Yeah" Sam said removing his hand from Mercy's waist "We just danced to it and she got a bit emotional" he smiled

"So you should girl, it's you're first song" his Dad informed her "A word please son?" he asked dismissing Mercy as she left the office, wiping her tear away "Mercy celebration later, on me, get your friends together" his Dad told her before she closed the door after her

 **Three Months Later**

All the girls at the house were buzzing one of them had been invited to a high society wedding Sam Evens was getting married to Gwen Meade, and Mercy Jones was this months it girl "How did you bag that invite" Wendy; one of the house mates, asked

She told the truth "He scouted me and we worked closely on my record"

"So lucky" they echoed around the room "Such a hunk"

"Are you going to the hen night?" Wendy asked

"No"she replied her tone telling them she was offended before she remembered they didn't know the history. Truth she was mega pissed Sam had even invited her, she felt like he'd waited for her to reveal her truth and then proceeded to rub their relationship in her face. They hadn't really had the chance to speak outside of hello since her record had been released, the following day Gwen showed up at the studio and again she'd become a permanent fixture, almost like a second coat for Sam. He walked round with a face like a wet weekend and mouthed "sorry" a lot as Mercy smiled sarcastically. She'd take the scenic route home, through the park, and kick everything in her path "How dare he make me feel like this"

Two days before the wedding, hen night day, and Mercy got the shock of her life when Gwen walked into the studio and conversed with her "I know we don't really talk and maybe that's a fault on my part, but you are Sam's best friend, so I feel I need to extend my hand in friendship and invite you to the hen do later tonight" she said

"Wow" Mercy smiled "What an honour, is that the done thing?" she asked

"if I do it it is yes" Gwen replied

"Thank you for inviting me"

"But will you come?"

"Yes I'll come" she smiled after some consideration, she didn't really have friends except the house mates, there were mainly guys in the studio and Sam had already made his stance clear on her making friends with them, she didn't want to be responsible for anyone losing their job. She had no intention of calling Gwen a friend ever, but it wouldn't hurt to see how that lot partied something to tell her grandchildren about she smiled

"Good 6pm At Miguel's" Gwen said flipping her hair off her shoulder and walking away from a smiling Mercy

The Hen do was very civilised with cocktails, that Mercy didn't drink, stories from married women about married life in general and some girl on girl dancing once the drinking got out of hand, everyone left at around 10pm air kissing each other, but Mercy wasn't that familiar, she hadn't really been included, she just said goodnight and left in her taxi for home and bed

"Don't say my name please, Mercy can we talk" Sam said down the phone as she stood with her night clothes on in the hall of her residence, having been told by Blanc it was some sort of emergency.

"What's happened?" she asked

"Just come to the park I need to talk to you I'm in the park across the way"

"Sam you're getting married tomorrow, what do you want?"

"Don't say my name" he reminded her "Just come now, please Mercy"

"Mercy went up to Blanc's room to inform her she was going to be out but would return shortly as there was a wedding emergency that needed taking care of before the morning

"Don't let that girl become your friend to use you Mercy" Blanc warned, Mercy didn't say anything she didn't want to start a series of lies to Blanc. She got dressed and wondered over to the park as requested to find Sam sitting on the bench under a tree, he got up as she approached for her to sit down and then sat back down himself

"What's up Sam?" she asked as she sat down "You do know I'm friends with your wife to be now don't you?" she smiled

"What?" he asked shocked "Friends?"

"Yeah she invited me to her Hen night and I went" she informed him

"No I didn't know but, don't make that practice she's not your friend"

"Is there anybody you actually approve of that I can be friends with?" Mercy asked

"Sorry but she really isn't your friend, and no there isn't I want to be it for you" he frowned "I guess she knows I have a thing for you"

"What do you want Sam?" Mercy asked rolling her eyes

"We just haven't spoken since the record landed and I needed you to be clear from our last conversation, you know when we told each other we loved each other that I'm still there"

"It's still there Sam and I'm destined to sing songs about the love I lost for life about you" she smiled

"We'll be together I know we will one day Mercy"

"Sam it's never going to happen, you've told me I can't date anyone in the business and for you I won't but I will date, I'm a woman and I have needs just like anybody else" she said grabbing his hand

"Don't even joke that way Mercy, I told you you're mine"

"Gwen is yours Sam I'm destined for someone else" she giggled

"So you're telling me we're never going to happen" he stood up almost shouting

"Sam" Mercy shout whispered as she got up looking around to see if anyone was watching or listening to them "We've had this damn conversation so many..." she got out before his lips were on hers again taking her back to that familiar place she visited about 6 months ago she was falling and had nothing to grab hold of this time so she grabbed him and he hung on to her for dear life too as they drunk each other in "Sam" she said breathlessly when he finally let her up for air as his breath hit her face hot and fast, his eyes searching her face for permission to go in again all she could do was close her eyes and he took that as permission as her mouth opened to invite him back, he smiled and took her lips into his mouth again

"Tell me Mercy" he said as he kissed her neck "Tell me"

"God I love you Sam" she said surrendering to him as her mouth began sucking in his lips, it was a while before they came to recollection of where they were and Mercy pulled away from him "Your getting married tomorrow Sam" she said tears in her eyes

"It's a marriage for my Father Mercy it means nothing to me" he said pulling her back in

"Sam" she said forcing herself out of his grip "She'll be your wife, you'll be sleeping with her for God sake" she said pushing him away

"I won't not if you don't want me to" he answered trying to pull her back "Mercy please don't fight me, I need you"

"I refuse to be the other woman, that's not me Sam you really can't ask that of me" she cried

"She'll be the other woman" he said "You have my heart, soul, body if you want it, she'll just have my name"

"That's an important thing to have Sam" Mercy said finally pushing him away and walking back towards her home

"Mercy don't make me follow you over there and blow up our business please stop" he asked which she did turning round exposing the tears down her face "Don't cry, please don't cry" he said running to her and wiping her tears away "I have to marry her, my Dad would just drop down and die if I did anything else, I'm caught between my heart and my allegiance to my family, this is a really hard thing for me"

"He told me he wanted grandchildren Sam" she told him "How the hell you gonna give him those if you don't sleep with her?" she asked

"I really haven't thought that far ahead Mercy please just say you'll wait, I'll figure it out I swear"

"Sam you're asking me to put a hold on my whole life for you while you go about getting your life started, to what, fit me into it, no I can't do that" she said shaking her head "Sorry I just can't" she said backing away as Sam watched her walk

"Mercy give me a chance to prove it to you, I'll work something out I promise" he shouted after her

So the wedding went on, a very nice affair, as Sam smiled, laughed, kissed and everything people do on their wedding day. Who was he kidding Mercy thought as she watched him with his new wife, she was all over him no way was that not going to happen, and no way was she sitting around waiting for him to come back with a knocked up wife. They were walking to the wedding march she was singing **'All I could do is cry' by Beyonce Knowles** in her head, crying for a completely different reason to the joy everyone else was feeling. So as soon as Sam went off on his honeymoon she made her getaway plan and went in search of 'Mr Right Now' who came in the form of Neville a pleasant young man maybe a year or so older than her blue eyes, brown hair and killer kisses. When Sam returned from his honeymoon he came directly to the studio to see how things were he claimed making eyes at Mercy until she gave up and left the room with him following her out and into his office

"What?" she asked "Why do you keep looking at me?"

"I needed to tell you something" he said rubbing the back of his neck like a schoolchild

"What do you need to tell me Sam" she asked rolling her eyes for what she knew he was going to say

"There's no fancy way to say this so I'm just going to say it" he said as he pulled her over to his desk and he perched on the end of it holding her hand "I slept with Gwen, more than once while we were away and I'm sorry"

"That's fine Sam she's your wife you don't have to tell me that stuff"

"But I still want us to be together" he said pulling her to him

"I knew you were going to come back and start with this again, I'm seeing someone and he's not in the business so you won't be sacking him from anywhere so please leave me alone"

"But I asked you to wait and you made me believe you were going to"

"I asked you about sleeping with your wife and you told me it would never happen but hey" she said flippantly

"Get rid of him Mercy" he said through thin lips

"No" she said walking away

"You better not let me find him before you get rid of him" Sam shouted after her as she purposely slammed his door on her exit "And don't let him touch you" he said going to the door and opening it to shout after her "I will kill him if he touches you" Mercy just held her hand up at him and carried on walking

 **Three Months Later**

Mercy was still seeing Neville, Christmas celebrations were exciting, she'd called her parents and told them work was heavy because she wanted to spend it with her new man, regardless of Sam's threats. Neville didn't know where she lived and didn't really know she was a singer of any sort as she called her self Emily out of area, she'd thought of everything. She met him after work, but went home first just in case Sam was lurking and as far as the house knew she was good friends with Gwen who was taking up her time nowadays. She'd got another song coming out soon and was in the studio late one night doing final touches ready for release in 2 days when Neville walked in

"Emily is Mercy I found out" he walked in saying shocking Mercy

"What are you doing here?" she asked looking around "Where's Sam?" she asked Delrose one of the backing singers

"He's gone home" she replied as Mercy took a breath

"How did you find me?" she asked Neville as he came towards her for a kiss and a hug, which she gave "I don't need you to be in my place of work" she told him

"I was talking to my man Jimmy who was going wild about this new song coming out in a couple of days, he's doing the record sleeve for, and when he turned it over you were smiling at me, I noted the company and hot stepped it over here to call you out on it" he told her as he held her close

"I wish you hadn't you have to leave like now my boss doesn't like visitors at the studio"

"I will, but you'll have to leave with me I need an explanation" Neville informed her

"Sorry guys can we make this an early start tomorrow instead I really have to deal with this?" she asked everyone as they nodded in agreement while she grabbed her coat and made for the exit with Neville in tow "We'll walk through the park but then you have to go home" she said as they entered the park. She told him about her dream of being a singer, how her opportunity came about, her bosses promise to her parents to look after her, where she hoped the dream she was slowly turning into her reality was going to take her

"I guess I understand why you did what you did" he said when she finally came to the end of her explanation

"I need to be this for my parents" she smiled, a smile that covered a whole load of issues, there was no talk of her being in love with her bosses son, kisses she'd shared with him, threats he'd made about beating to a pulp any man she was ever interested in, him being recently married, her being totally in love with him _'you forgot to mention all of that Mercy Jones'_ she said to herself

"We're here" she said turning and kissing him lightly "Goodnight Neville" she said as he pulled her in for something deeper "Neville" she said pulling away before his tongue invaded her mouth "We're in the street and I'm not that kind of girl" she said walking away

"Emily, I mean Mercy I'm sorry" he said grabbing after her

"Bye" she turned to say as she quickly walked away, way past her house feeling like she'd betrayed Sam's trust in her by letting Neville do that there in front of the studio, she walked round the block and returned home 25 minutes later checking the area before entering her house and getting a very restless nights sleep

The next day Mercy was at the studio for 8am ready to finalise the song before Sam got there "Right people lets catch up wi..." she stopped as she stood faced with Sam leaning against the piano

"The girls tell me the night was cut short yesterday" he announced

"Yeah" she said looking around "But everyone agreed to come in early this morning to catch up"

"Okay catch up" Sam said moving to the side for her to get by, as he stood watching her with a smile on his face. Mercy had gone way past nervous after an hour of his constant stare like he was planning something in his head to do to her, did he know about Neville, did he see them together, had he done something to him, what in hells name was he smiling about

"Stop, Stop, Stop" she finally said to the band "I need some air" she announced as she walked towards the door

"I'll take you to the park" Sam said still smiling

she knew it he'd seen them and he'd done something to Neville, why else would he be suggesting the park "Okay" she said thinking he might as well get over what he had planned for her. From what she could make out her record was going to make a lot of money for the company so, would he dare hurt her, 'No' she told herself smiling back at him as she walked through the door he held open for her

 **The Park**

"So" he said still smiling "What was so urgent you had to stop work last night?" he asked

"Tired needed to get to bed"

"Oh so it wasn't Gwen, your best friend nowadays, who just happens to have been in New York for the past five days?" he asked

"Gwen, my best friend?" she questioned

"Well yeah according to Blanc, I spoke to her last night" he smiled "That was were you'd more than likely be" he laughed "So I walked away from your house thinking why would she say she was friends with Gwen" he said thinking

"I didn.."

"No you don't get to speak just yet Mercy" he said threat in his voice "Because I just gave you the opportunity to come clean with me but you chose your yarn" he said looking at her with his last few words "So I stood outside wondering even went as far as to sit in the park last night for well over an hour when who should I see walking through the park with a man, I might add, well I thought, it is late so I would have stood on heads at work if one of those guys hadn't offered to walk you home, and something happened to you" he said looking at her "Then tell me the rest Mercy?" he said stopping in his tracks to look at her "You can speak, anytime now" he told her

"We're frie..."

"Don't come at me with any crap Mercy, it will make me want to kill him some more"

"We've been seeing each other for a while but it hasn't gone anywhere we might as well be friends" she said not taking her eyes off him

"We had a conversation about men friends didn't we?" he asked as she nodded "So you know what happened to .."

"Neville" she answered

"Yeah him you know what happened to him yeah?"

"Sam" she burst out crying saying while hitting him twice in the chest

"You did this Mercy not me, I told you already what was going to happen did you think I was playing?" he said holding her hands as she tried to hit him again "Be with me Mercy please be with me" he begged "I'm turning into this dark person that I don't even recognise because of you, you tell me you love me then do things like this, your sending me crazy" he shouted letting her hands go

"I'm sending you crazy" she laughed almost hysterically "Sam you told me you loved me then got married, as if that wasn't bad enough you get married have sex with your wife then come back again and tell me you love me again, your driving me crazy, and if you keep pushing me I will give everything up and go back home I really can't take much more of this"

"What are you saying you want me to do bad things to people?" he asked

"What, no I'm saying leave me alone to get on with my life"

"I really can't do that Mercy, I wish I could, things would be so much easier" he said walking up to her "But my heart needs what my heart needs" he said looking into her eyes as they begged him to take her in his arms "I love you so much" he told her taking her in his arms right there in the park, kissing her deep "God I've waited so long for that" he gasped, letting air get in between them for a second "I need you to be mine Mercy please tell me you'll be mine"

"Sam" she got out before he attached himself to her lips again, Mercy couldn't help falling she'd been lifted off the floor with passion, she grabbed hold of him and went in to take what he was giving her 'Is this really enough' she asked herself before she went over the edge, feeling his urgency for her as she pressed against him hard "Sam" she mumbled through the kiss as she attempted to pull herself away "Sam" she said when she finally disconnected them "We're in the park" she smiled as he looked around and let her go

"Sorry"

"Okay I promise, for now, no more male friends" she smiled "but please promise me something" she said looking at him nervously

"Anything" he said grabbing for her and pulling her into him "You got me like that right now"

"No more fighting people I speak to" she said looking at him seriously

"Promise" he said without hesitation "Can I get a kiss to seal the deal?" he asked looking around

"One kiss" she said pulling him into her as they both took what they needed at that moment before walking back to the studio

"I'll give you till the end of the day to answer my question" he said as he pushed the door open for her to go in

 **The Studio**

Mercy was floating around trying to get her body to do what she wanted it to do 'what the hell is this man doing to me' she asked herself as she sat cross legged on the stool in front of the mic watching Sam as he went around talking to the band telling them what he wanted to hear and setting up beats. 'Concentrate' she told herself as she moved her head to stop her eyes following him around the room

"Right" he eventually said standing front centre of the room "I want perfection this is the very last take I expect to do on this and if that happens everyone gets a well-deserved day off tomorrow" he said clapping his hands for them to start as Mercy sung a more than usually soulful version of **'My Man' by Diana Ross** "That's a take" he shouted as everyone cheered "Mark get this one rolling I want it up and ready for 2pm tomorrow, get the sellers ready I need this to go as far as we can get it going"

"Well done" he said to everyone as he walked towards Mercy "I'm talking to everyone except you" he whispered in her ear as he hugged her saying well done "Everyone get going" he said waving them all off as the backers stood talking to Mercy for a while "Get going before I change my mind" he said as even Mercy went to grab her coat

"Gwen's away" he told her, when they were alone

"And" she said looking at him suspiciously "You seriously are not telling me what I think you're telling me Mr Evans" she said her face as serious as he'd ever seen it "What has your wife being away got to do with me?" she finally asked

"Nothing deep just some uninterrupted privacy" he smiled "We need to talk" he added "Dad's out of town for the week it's perfect" he said still smiling

"You want an answer?" Mercy asked rolling her eyes "Sam you're a married man tell me you want more for me than that?" she asked

"I can't see past needing you for myself Mercy, I'm sorry if that wasn't what you wanted to hear but it's true I breathe when I'm around you, I'm fed up of living this fake ass life, I need to be with you" he said walking towards her again "Say you need me back" he begged her

"So what if I did need you Sam what sort of life are you offering me?"

"I've thought about it and I guess I'd give you everything but, I'd have to attend like formal things with her and stuff and family things of course, but all my other time would be yours"

"I need you to be specific Sam what's this other time you're talking about?"

"When I'm not scouting for new talent, out at family functions, representing my Dad or being Mr to her Mrs"

"Okay, so when are you not scouting?" she asked

"Like now I'm not scouting now"

"But that's because you're trying to make this into something it really can't be"

"Mercy stop looking for excuses, I know you need me like I need you, I can tell when I kiss you, why can't you just let this be what it needs to be?"

"Obviously this is about the chase for you" she said sitting back down on the stool she was on earlier "I really don't need it, I'm better than a mistress you shouldn't be asking me to be one and, I want marriage, babies, family I want the lot, you can't give me any of that so, let's stop this here, now. Sam I love you I'm not even going to hide that but this" she said pointing between them "Can never go anywhere. Have you thought about her having your children, how that would make me feel, kissing her in front of me, her touching you in front of me, have you for one second stood and thought how the hell I'd get through a situation like that?"

"We won't have children" he blarted out

"Sam your Dad wants grandchildren, how the hell are you not going to have them?"

"Mercy I can't answer any of it, all I know to be true is that I love you, I need you totally to be in my life and I'll kill anyone who tries to take you away from me" he shouted at her as Mercy sat stunned at not being able to get through to him

"Sam I gi…" was all she got out before she saw Sam rushing towards her and that feeling of need came over her as they impacted on each other with the same force finding lips and sinking into them, Sam's hands wondered as his lips made light work of opening hers and searching her mouth for hidden corners as Mercy found herself sinking deeper and deeper into him "Sam" she muffled through the still hard kisses they were giving "Sam" she said again muffled as he found her neck and she lifted her chin offering it up for him as he kissed down her neck line, his hands wonders around her body

"Tell me you need me?" he asked her as he licked, sucked and kissed his way down her neck and back to her lips "Tell me Mercy" he said as Mercy closed her eyes tight somehow hoping that would stop her from hearing and responding to his request at her most vulnerable to date. She must have been over concentrating because the next thing she felt was the absolute pleasure of having her nipple sucked making her head fall back in ecstasy and a cry of pleasure come from her mouth as her eyes closed tighter and her hand grabbed his head asking him to stay there

"God" she finally got out when her mind stopped spinning, bringing a smile to Sam's eyes

"Tell me you need me Mercy" he asked again, Mercy was already too high to speak, although she heard what he asked and would, at this point, have said I need you, her experience was so great she didn't feel like interrupting it for anything she just held his head as she felt him pulling away "Come with me" he said pulling her up from the stool, she jerked up and went with her hand to where he was taking her, ending up in his office

"What?" she asked "Sam I'm not having sex with you" she informed him "And definitely not in your damn office"

"We're not going to have sex Mercy, but you're going to tell me you need me back" he said spinning her round and locking the door as he took her by the face and gently pulled her to him "I love you Mercy Jones, please love me back" he asked going back in to kiss her again reaching her breasts faster than he did the first time but the feeling, for her, was just as intense. She became aware at some point that they were moving and opened her eyes for a split second to see the couch nearby as Sam pulled her down onto it "Comfortable?" he asked

"Yeah"

He went about undoing her button down dress exposing her bra with protruding nipples, suspenders and matching knickers all in Purple lace "Wow" he said when he saw her full glory before he went in like an animal learning about its new habitat touching, tasting every inch of her unclothed skin as Mercy lay back experiencing the pleasures of having a man touch her body for the first time. "Remember I said we're not going to have sex" he reminded her as his hand caressed her body

"Sam" they heard in the building, they both froze

"Who is that?" Mercy whispered

"I don't know" he whispered back signalling for her to be quiet

"Sam" the person said trying the door "It's Jeremy, Gwen said you'd be at a loose end and asked me to pop round" he said trying a few more doors before wondering down the corridor "Why would he leave the front door open?" he asked himself as he obviously flicked off the safety catch and locked the door

They lay there for about a minute making sure Jeremy had gone before Mercy pushed him off her "And now you have Jeremy monopolising your time" she said doing up her buttons "The answer is no Sam no, please leave me alone"

"Mercy" he said going after her "Please Mercy, I'll sort all this out, honest I will, just give me a chance"

"How many chances do you need Sam?" she said rolling her eyes as she walked out "That was the very last time" she warned slamming the door

"You can resist me all you want Mercy but I'm not letting up on you and I will kill anyone I see you with and please don't test me on that" he shouted after her before slamming himself back down and covering his face with his hands


	2. Chapter 2

**2 years later**

Mercy had made it she'd had 4 consecutive number 1 songs in the charts, she'd started her mini tour around America and Sam was a little less in pursuit of her than he had been previously, Gwen was on baby number two and Mercy didn't know whether it was shame or that he'd really fallen in love with his wife finally but he seemed to let go of that strong hold he had over her, she could breathe again. She hadn't ventured into the boyfriend realm yet she was much too busy for all that with everything else in her life.

"Mercy you're doing this next one solo" Sam's Dad informed her, You'll be in charge of the guys Sam and I need to be around for the babies" he informed her

"Yes sir" she said, that was happening a lot lately, she wasn't sure if they'd found new blood or something was really going on for Sam but she wasn't seeing him anywhere near as much as she used to and that was good because it allowed her to move on. Yes she had been hurt at first for all the things he'd said to make her even believe he might have been in love with her but, now she had made a name for herself moving to LA was worth it and the Sam drama paled into insignificance.

"This next one will be with someone called Randy Stone, he'll follow you on, make sure that happens yeah?" he asked

"Yes Sir" Mercy replied noticing a smile on his face

As soon as she met Randy she understood the smile, he was a 6" 7' God with piercing hazel eyes rippling eight pack and smooth as glass. Trouble was he was too much like Sam and Mercy stood drooling thinking forget that drama, Sam's drama was good for something because at least she got that right, Mr Stone was either singing or beating women and nothing in between. A few concerts went on as Mercy sung her current signature tunes along with some of her earlier tunes, with requests she had enough to keep an audience going, conversation included, for about 60 minutes and most nights she did. She was on a stage in Memphis about 4 months into her 6 month tour, when she looked into the crowd and saw Sam sitting there, she fumbled a few words in her nightly speech but eventually the evening was half way through and she was able to get off stage, she'd left him in his seat but by the time she got to her dressing room he was sitting there waiting for her

"Sam" she said as upbeat as she could "To what do we owe the pleasure?" she asked

"Always a pleasure to see you" he flatly replied

"What's wrong?" she asked walking towards him "Is everyone alright at home?"

"I haven't paid you any attention since, well since Gwen announced she was pregnant with our first, I didn't know how to come to you with that, I know you hate me and I didn't want to see that in your eyes"

"I don't hate you Sam, you had a choice to make and you made it, I'll live" she smiled rubbing his back "So you came all this way to apologise?"

"No, well yes, but..."

"But what Sam?"

"I suppose you could call it karma" he said looking up at her as he sat on the stool at her dresser "Gwen's having an affair"

"How do you know?" she asked grabbing his shoulder to hug him in

"Karma, remember the last time we were together and Jeremy came in?" he asked as Mercy nodded acknowledgement "Well same situation but this time it was her locked in a room and I waited for her to come out and she did" he said

"What happened?" Mercy asked letting him go a bit to look at him

"She dared me to go in and see who it was" he said his eyes noticeably angry

"Who was it?" she asked

"I don't know, I didn't want to go in for the thoughts I was having"

"What thoughts?" she asked

"I swear as God is my witness Mercy, I heard a familiar voice on the other side of that door, and I just don't want to think it" he said grabbing hold of Mercy round the waist putting his head on her stomach

"Who?" Mercy asked not wanting to believe what was flashing through her mind "Sam" she said again when he didn't answer her

"I don't know how I've actually missed it" he said looking up at her "I'm scared Mercy my heads gone all the way to are the children mine you know and I swear I'll kill someone for this" he said pulling her tighter

"Well we don't know anything for sure just yet so, we need to know for sure before we start marking who needs killing, don't you think?"

"I just" he said resting his head back on her stomach "I just need you to hold me" he said pulling her in, she stood holding him, her mind going into overdrive. _She'd seen things, things she took no notice of because that woman was Sam's wife, she recalled once Gwen was at the studio, in his Dad's office with some male visitors when Sam wasn't about, nothing untoward but what was she doing with three men in the room, a married woman? she asked herself. She'd walked into the studio once to see Gwen sitting very close with James and he said something about her being his favourite rich girl or something. There was anther time when she'd been very embarrassed because I'd walked past her and heard her whispering to some random guy in the hall and all he said was something like 'your husband's a lucky man', I should have guessed, I should have said something to Sam, but hell would freeze over before I said anything right now, the man's talking about killing people no way was that going to be on my back_ , she thought as she held him close "She thinks I've gone scouting but I'm going back tonight, I need to know the truth" he finally said "Mom and Dad will be devastated"

"Sam" she said holding his face to look into his eyes "Please don't hurt anyone just walk away and find me" she asked as he looked up at her "Promise me" she asked, he looked without reacting to what she'd asked "Sam, promise me" she said staring him out

"I promise" he finally said before she hugged him

"I got to get back on stage" she finally said when he lifted up off her

"I'll be out in a bit" he said wiping his face "I'm upset because of all the time we've lost, she's done this, and I feel like I've wasted three years of my life, I could have been with you" he said watching Mercy get to the door

"I wish I could be there with you Sam but, I've got a month left on tour, and its your family's business"

"Right now the only person I can call family is you, I trust you with my life" he smiled "Nothing's changed for me, with us I mean" he said looking at her, she smiled

"My sound's changing, that's down to you" she smiled "my next song's for you" she said as she shut the door, got out on stage and after her usual banter dedicated her next song to someone special, she started singing her version of **'I'd Rather Go Blind' by Leela James** with James supporting her as Sam looked on smiling, she was happy she'd made him smile at least in all this mess he was faced with. A while later he blew her a kiss and left, her heart skipped a bet right there on stage at what he was going back home to face

 **A month Later**

Reluctantly Mercy was making her way back to LA, back to the studio, Sam's family drama and a guarded life but she missed Sam really missed seeing him, hearing him, touching him and she feared for what he'd found when he'd returned home that night she'd seen him last, everything had gone quiet from the moment he walked out of that lounge she was singing in, he didn't even look back at her like he usually did and please God had he kept his promise. She knew he'd be spitting blood about her not using that new mobile phone he'd brought her, but it was so impersonal she never even took it out the box, she constantly looked at it thinking _'just another way of him controlling me or a reason for him not to make the effort to see me'_ and cover it back up. She didn't go straight to the Studio like the musicians did she was tired she went home to bed, took the weekend and went into work on the Monday.

 **Studio**

"Morning" Mercy walked in bright and bubbly saying looking around at sad faces "What's up?"

"The place is closing down it looks like" Joe informed her "Sam came in earlier with some guy looking at the place, he wasn't happy"

"Selling?" she asked as everyone looked on

"He's in his office, go find out, he talks to you" Joe said smiling

"Why don't you go find out?" she asked him

"Because he told us to leave him alone" Derrick said

"But he wants to see you when you get here" Joe smiled

"Am I getting the sack?" she asked covering her mouth for having said the word

"If you're sacked we're all sacked" Derrick laughed

"Back in a bit" she said turning to go see Sam

"Hey" she said as she walked into his office without knocking "You alright?" she said walking towards him as his head shot up from what he was doing, he got up to move towards her hugging her in for a while, before he spoke

"Mmmm I am now" he said into her neck kissing it lightly as he spoke "I'm still waiting for you to say those magic words to me" he smiled looking into her eyes

"Magic words" she said smiling at him "Okay, why are you selling the studio, magic enough?" she asked

"Selling" he asked lifting up off her neck "Who's selling, I'm buying" he laughed "Well not buying my Dad gave it to me" he said grabbing her hand and moving towards his desk, he sat on it and pulled Mercy to stand between his legs hugging her as they spoke "My Dad knows I'm on to something I think, because he's bending over backwards to accommodate me and I'm taking full advantage of it before I make my move. He's given me this place and I own the second house outright now, I'm going to sell that and get us something for us, your jobs safe when the shit hits because this belongs to us and Gwen's going to be forced to give me a divorce so we can get married legally like, and ..."

"Hold up" Mercy giggled "You lost me at the first us"

"Oh there's going to be an us Mercy so get ready for it" he smiled kissing her full on

"I really don't think I should be asking but, did you find anything out about Gwen and stuff?" she asked reluctantly

"No but I've finished with her and with doing what my Dad asks of me, I want what I need, I need you, anything you ask I'll do just tell me what I want to hear" he said snuggling into her neck as he spoke. Mercy was in heaven, or her interpretation of it right now, his breath hit her eroginous zone, as he spoke , his body pressed against her his hardness making her legs attempt to give way as he moved telling her he wanted more, his hand grabbing her backside as he gently slammed into her, while his lips did their work "I so need you Mercy" he stopped to say "Can you feel how much I need you?"

"Is that what this is about for you Sam?" she asked pushing him away "You want to have sex with a black woman?" she asked _God Mercy your grabbing at straws now, is that all you can come back with? why are you still resisting?_ she thought

"I want to have sex, sorry, make love, to a woman who just happens to be black yes" he said pulling her back into him "I'm not joking at this Mercy, if you'll let me we'll be the real deal"

"The real deal?" she asked "Why are you so damn..." she got out before falling into his eyes, kiss and touch as she embraced him and want took over her body. She was exploring his body in a way she had never expected to ever want to explore anyone's, Sam didn't waste time catching up with her he was doing the same right there in the office

"Let me lock the door" he said moving towards it "I need you to say those words to me Mercy, I refuse to do anything to you without consent" he warned her as he locked the door and moved back towards her, looking at the couch "Not a good move" he said making her giggle

"No not a good move" she said rolling her eyes as they both laughed

"Seriously" Sam said when they stopped "Mercy tell me you need me" he asked as she stood looking at him seriously unwilling to commit to this married man

"Sam you're married" she finally said "You have no right committing to me, let alone me committing" she said as he stood staring at her before going in to take the kiss she was offering as her mouth twitched in anticipation of his lips touching hers _'God she wanted this man she didn't want him to commit to her how can a man have a wife and commit to someone else but maybe she could admit to needing him right now, yes right now she could need him God, right now she damn well knew she needed him'_ Her kiss was obviously being controlled by her mind and what she was thinking because she could feel herself getting more urgent and before she knew it it was out "I need you Sam right now I need you" she said closing her eyes and taking the ride as she let Sam somehow take her to another place

"We're not going to have sex here Mercy" he said as he kissed down her chest grabbing at her nipples through her clothes as he went, her voice hitched, his hands found places, her voice hitched, he smiled his head moved to that place, she breathed heavy, his hands found places, his head eventually got to where he needed it to be and she screamed with excitement as he brought her to peak "Somebody's gonna want to know what that was?" he laughed

"Somebody can kiss my ass" she laughed

"I guess I just did" he said through his laugh

"Where did you learn to do that?" she asked following him to the bathroom

"Actually doing that specific thing was a first for me, you can't do that to just anybody I don't think" he stated

"I guess not" she smiled "You know I'm a virgin right?" she asked

"I sort of guessed" he smiled "We need a bed" he laughed "You told me you needed me" he smiled going in to kiss her

"You've got toothpaste mouth" she said moving her head away smiling before going back in to kiss him lightly on the lip "I did didn't I" she said as she cleaned up and they went back into his office, this time sitting on the couch "Sam, what's going to happen now?" she asked as they wrapped up on the couch

"Well I'm not sure if Gwen suspects anything so I'm acting normal at the moment, but when the times right you'll know and we'll make our move" he finished kissing her "So you loved me a few years back and you need me now can we make this thing between us a bit more say permanent in some way?" he asked saying the last bit of the sentence slowly

"I guess I don't want Gwen in my face, so here is out of bounds for her yeah?" she asked

"I've never really cared about her enough to tell her where she can and can't go I think she'd suspect something if I started all that now"

"So she could walk in at any time?" Mercy asked pulling away from him "What have I signed up for Sam?"

"Look at the bigger picture, I've told you, once that comes through we're done with them all"

"That, what just happened for us" she said touching his mouth "is a far as I'm willing to go, and the only time I'm going there, as long as she's your wife Sam, I love you but, I'm not going to be a fool about it" she said getting up, getting dressed and walking out

Sam sat thinking, he still hadn't got the guts up to accuse who he thought Gwen was having an affair with, he didn't want to believe it, something like this could rip his family apart and all he had on his mind was Mercy, front and centre, he was neglecting her, not paying attention to what she was doing, Christmas had gone by and he hadn't even given her a morning because of the children. All she'd asked was just one damn thing 'don't flaunt Gwen in her face' and I couldn't even give her that, what the hell are you doing to her Evans "Get it sorted" he said getting up and going back to what he was doing before she came in for about a minute, before what they'd just shared dominated his mind, forgetting about work.

 **6 months later**

Sam was still investigating, Gwen was still on the scene, Mercy wasn't giving kisses let alone the time of day because he had nothing new to report several times he wanted to just walk away and make whatever life he could with her but he'd made so many promises and she'd sacrificed so much time for him. He couldn't walk away now with nothing accomplished even he would have walked away from that, Mercy was getting stronger her diva was coming out more often, she was confident, passionate about her work and honestly, he liked it but, sometimes he felt like she was climbing fast and he was losing her and that couldn't happen.

Mercy had just let out another song very much based on the situation she'd found herself in, Sam had naturally become attached to his children and it seemed his parents and wife were using them as the bargaining tool. He was either fetching, carrying, bringing or sitting with the children day and night, she'd sit at home wondering what in hells name she was actually doing waiting on some married man which went against everything she knew to be right in life. But when they were together it was gold, he made her feel like the single most important thing in his life and it wasn't about sex; that wasn't happening, gifts or anything like that it was just the way they got on, the secrets they held for each other, the love. She didn't know what it was that kept bringing her back every time she finally made her mind up to leave him, he'd do something magical and she'd fall all over again, love like this her Dad called destiny she'd smiled

So she'd sat in her usual spot in the studio trying to put a cast on her next single when Sam walked in making her face light up, the look on his face told her something was wrong, he wasn't wrong, in walked Gwen and the children with his Dad in tow

"Sam wanted to pop in see how things were going, we thought we'd make it a family outing" his Dad said as Gwen stood smiling

"Hi All" Mercy said waving and smiling as everyone else said hi too

"So what you got brewing" his Dad asked, Sam hadn't plucked the courage up to speak yet as Mercy eyes flashed across at him before looking back at his Dad

"We were doing hopefully Mercy's next hit" Joe said smiling as Mercy flashed him a look

"Lets hear it then girl" his Dad said

"Yeah it's called **'Stormy Weather' by Rebecca Ferguson"** she said as the band started playing "I get emotional" she giggled before she got into character and started singing, tears started almost immediately as she stood singing to Sam with his family watching not being able to look at him, singing about not being with him as she sat watching him stood there with his family by his side. Sam wasn't in a good place either, she'd been moaning to him for a while now about getting time, he'd promised her time and now because of his family commitments, he had no time for her, he felt guilty that he was making her feel this way, ' _why should she be feeling this way?'_ he asked himself clenching his fists, and biting his top lip to stop himself from exploding into a gibbering wreck, all he knew was that love was standing there singing to him about them not getting time, to his fucking soon gone family.

"That's very juice joint isn't it?" Gwen said when it finished, looking at Sam as she spoke, before everyone else started clapping, Mercy didn't bother to respond she just turned to the band and started talking about the song as if Sam wasn't even in the room, a smile on her face for the fact that she knew she'd gone a bit too far with the tears on that one but yes she was going to think it 'Fuck him'

"It was perfect Mercy, you upped your style again" Joe said smiling as Sam looked on for a while before walking around and leaving the studio with his family

"Mercy!" Sam shouted as he re-entered the studio some minutes later "I need to speak to you" he said grabbing her hand in front of every one and taking her to his office, locking the door "I'm really sorry about that, Dad just threw it at me as I was leaving" he explained

"It's fine Sam, I know where I stand" she said blowing out air "At least I got to see you"

"This shouldn't be a compromise Mercy and I'm sorry it's becoming one, but I am working on it"

"What!, working on sitting around playing happy damn families with you wife, children, dad while fake wife's here sitting on the damn sidelines!" she shouted angry and hurt

"Mercy, please don't be like..."

"Don't you dare" she said standing up from him "Don't you dare bring your family into my space, flaunt them in my damn face watch me painfully sing a song, that was telling you goodbye by the way, and then tell me not to be like what?" she spat "Like what?" she said flopping on the couch crying. Sam had seen her mad before but this was on another level she was mad, and he didn't know what he could do about this right now with his family sitting in the car outside. "It hurt Sam, Damn it, it hurt" she cried harder as he sat watching her, unable to do a thing about the situation he'd just made happen "I can't do this Sam it's too..., I made a mistake I don't need you" she said getting up to walk away

"Mercy please" he said jumping up and making a bolt for the door to stop her from leaving "Please don't go, not like this please"he asked pulling her to him "You know I love you, please don't leave me" he begged pulling out those puppy eyes that always got her going

"Sam" she said raking her hands through her hair as she rested her hands on her head wondering what the hell she was doing loving this man as a smile came to her face "You hurt me" she said pushing him lightly as he pulled her with him, sticking her bottom lip out in a sulk

"I'm sorry" he said giving her the lip back as well and the eyes making her laugh

"Seriously I don't even know why I still love you" she said kissing him before turning the key in the lock opening the door and walking out "Later yes?" she turned to ask

"Cross my heart I'll try but things are coming to a head" he said pulling the door to follow her out, she went back to the sound room as he left the building

"There's a commotion outside" Ben the saxophonist came in saying "Looks like Sam's on beat down mode" he added as Mercy spun round and moved that fast everyone looked and rushed after her

Sam was outside fighting, breaking yet another promise he'd made her "What's happening" she shouted forcing herself not to run to Sam as Gwen sat in the car with the children

"You so much as touch my wife again and I'll kill you" Sam shouted at the man

"Your wife?" the man asked laughing "If she's your wife you need to put her on a leash" he said as Joe held Sam back and Mercy went to him

"You're fighting over Gwen?" she asked backing away from him and leaving the scene

"No Mercy it's not like..." he started, realising where he was and stopping, sitting on the ground with his head in his hands for what he'd just done, looking up a short while later to see Gwen smiling making him mad enough to jump up and get in the car "Family day out yeah?" he asked as he started the engine and took them home. He parked the car up and walked back to the studio there was nothing going to stop him from spending time with Mercy tonight, he had some serious explaining to do, he sat in the park waiting for her to come through, finally deciding he was gong to make a statement instead of have an argument. 5 in the evening and he was still waiting "Surely everyone's gone home now" he told himself getting up to go check the building, which was shut. He stood rubbing his hands that were still hurting after his scuffle with Gwen's trick, but if Mercy was messing with his head he'd surely be ready to go again for her he'd fight to the death, the cafe was still open so he ventured over

"Hi Sam" the owner said as he walked in "Your crew are over in the main booth" he signalled "Apparently major cry fest from Mercy" as Sam went and sat in the booth next to them listening to the conversation

"You need to go find yourself a man that Mr Evans approves of, bring him home to meet the parents and get their approval then he'll have nothing to say" Delrose said "That's what I did not that there was anyone to disapprove" she laughed

"I think Del's right if Sam won't let you do what you want take someone home take a holiday or something and do it then and when you come back he'll have nothing to say" Joe replied

"And stop ailing anyway having a man ain't all that, we're more trouble than we're worth" Ben laughed

"I got to go" Sam heard as he sprung up and left the cafe, running across to the park and finding the bench near her house, looking casual as she came by "Sam" she said holding her chest as she noticed him

"Can we go to the studio, sing or something?" he asked as he got up and walked towards her

"Yeah" she quickly said, knowing the others were in the cafe and would see them if they stayed there, spinning around to follow him as he walked past her

They got in locked the door and went to the sound room, to her surprise he really meant sing "Mercy before you ask about today, Gwen was trying to chat that man up with our children in ear shot, if I could have, I would have gone for her but I don't do that so I hit the next best thing for my children" he said looking at her "It's a true statement not a discussion point" he announced

"So I shouldn't question your behaviour?"

"Yes, it's just that that was nothing to do with Gwen and I don't really want to sit here talking to you about her instead of having our time, I just need you to sing" he said looking at her

"Sing what?" she asked not wanting Gwen in the room either

"Take me back to when what we have was simple" he smiled "Sing Misty Blue for me" she didn't argue, he put the track on and she sang for him "I fell in love right there, and I've never looked back" he said when she finished "Who were you singing about?"

"Nobody I was just singing a song" she smiled "I never knew anything about boys back then, shit I don't really know anything about boys now 4 years on" she laughed "I've only ever love you Sam but, as I was singing that just I was thinking about you"

"You know more about me now what would you sing about me right now?" he asked

"Maybe **'Something's Got A Hold On Me' by Christina Aguilera** " she smiled

"Sing it to me" he said walking up to her as she left her seat and went to the piano

"You play the piano?" he asked shocked

"I play the piano, violin, clarinet amongst others" she smiled as she started playing her version of the song for him "sit, listen" she instructed, he did as told sitting by her at the piano, he didn't sit for long he was grabbing his guitar to join in and they both rocked

When she finished he took hold of her mouth with his and refused to let go, she soon got into his mode, this time he kissed her hard and long as he hands wondered around her body as she tried to do the same but he kept stopping her

"What's the matter?" she asked as he brushed her hand away for the third time

"This is so random, I really don't want to think about anything else" he said attempting to pull her in

"What's the matter Sam?" she asked again making it clear nothing else was going to happen until her question was answered

"I, shit Mercy I don't want to say" he said holding his head "Why can't I lie to you" he got up saying "Every time we finally start getting on something comes up, have you noticed that?" he asked but didn't wait for an answer, Mercy wasn't giving one anyway she was still waiting for her answer "I slept with Gwen and I, wait Mercy, wait hear me out" he said grabbing hold of her "It's not a recent thing it was a while ago but I've been itching a bit and I'm so scared to go get tested for what it might be, I'm more embarrassed actually a married man getting an infection from his wife it just sounds that much more worse than her getting it from me" he giggled nervously

"First thing tomorrow get it sorted, I want children" she said slamming herself back down "Your wife has spoilt the mood again" she spat out as Sam laughed "Something funny?" she asked

"You" he said "One minute your walking out the next your planning years ahead, and I still really don't know where I am with you at any given minute" he said shaking his head

"Welcome to my world" she replied

"Okay Mercy, here's the deal, this is the last 6 months of this life, I plan on bringing everything to a head and moving out in the next 6 months, the only person I'm unsure about in all this is my Mom, but I guess once the truth is out it's going to be up to her to make her choice and I'll happily live with whatever she chooses, except us all staying together"

"Sounds like fighting talk" she smiled "Are you going to tell me who this other person is?" she asked

"I will as soon as I'm positive, you won't see much of me but when you do start seeing me it will be on that forever level I'm always talking about" he said grabbing her to him "I miss you already" he said kissing her deep "Make your next song about me so I can feel you near?" he asked kissing her again as she grabbed him feeling him move from beside her

"Where you going?" she asked

"I just told you 6 months" he replied "Come on I'll walk you home" he said, she went reluctantly

"I miss you already Sam" she said hugging into him

"Will you please use the mobile I brought you, we can at least talk then"

 **3 Months later**

Mercy hadn't seen Sam for nearly three whole months, she was climbing the walls and having to keep it all under wraps was so hard, she'd go home every night and cry into her pillow, she wasn't singing anything just going in with a sour face every day standing around listening to tracks she'd half tried to produce and then leave early when she was fed up with waiting for him to make an entrance. Yet again she found herself swearing this was never going to happen to her again and she was going to rush home to charge that damn phone up an tell him to get lost.

She walked into the studio one morning to find a note on her chair from Sam, she was happy but why couldn't he have come in and seen her. He'd reminded her she needed to keep him near by singing a song to him so she made the effort and got her version of **'Trust In Me' by Etta James** out within the month and for a short while she was happy, at least she was, in her small way, making him happy, but that soon wore off and she was back in sour face land making everyone's life a misery

"Mercy come on it's your birthday, you just did a cover of the musical love of your damn life be happy" Ben shouted across the room "We're taking you out" he informed her on her birthday evening after studio time "I'm not taking no for an answer either, and we need a new song" he laughed

She wasn't even in the mood to argue "Okay" she said a smile coming to her face, why shouldn't she, Sam hadn't even acknowledged her birthday let alone made an appearance for it, did he even remember her damn name 'No' she surmised

"Is that to the night out or a new song?" he asked

"Both" she said, her smile getting bigger

"Lets get to work guys" Ben shouted banging the drum as he said it, all playing their instruments as Mercy got her soul sound perfected

"I'm not giving Mr Evans Senior any of that" she said when they finally ended the song, a few hours later

That evening, they got to the club down town, not far from where she used to meet Neville back in the day, she silently prayed she didn't see him she couldn't take the shame. "Oh I forgot I invited James and his guys" Joe said as they entered the club, James was alright but he was always trying his luck with her, she wouldn't have minded but he was maybe the age of her father, maybe grandfather if she'd have remembered him, she rolled her eyes at the good time she wasn't going to have. She was one of 5 girls in the group but she didn't know three of the others, they were the girlfriends of the guys from both sides. They danced, drank and laughed the night away, she ended up having a really good time

"I'll drop you off on my way" Dean; one of the guys, who was built like a wall, said as Mercy looked at Ben

"I know where he lives if anything happens" he laughed settling Mercy's mind so she went with him

They pulled up on the other side of the park as Mercy made haste getting out the car and making her way through the small park to get to her house "Wait up" he shouted running behind her

"What?" Mercy asked stopping to hear what he had to say

"Just a thank you and you're walking away forever?" he asked

"Sorry I didn't have much to say"

"What about seeing each other again?" he asked

"No thank you, I'm sorry but I'm really not interested" she said as politely as she could before turning to walk off again

"Hold up" he said pulling her back

"Excuse me" Mercy said pulling away from him

"I said hold up" he said pulling her arm again

"Leave me alone" she shouted suddenly realising how badly this could go "I need you to leave me alone" she said sternly

"You heard her" Sam came out from by the bench saying "Leave her alone"

"Mind your business" Dean said waving Sam away

"What?" Sam asked, Mercy attempted to step back with his tone, but this guy still had her arm

"Mind your busin..." Dean got out before Sam punched him, he instinctively let go of Mercy and fell to the ground, Sam used his feet to stamp him unconscious as Mercy stood back begging him to stop

"Sam" she finally ran up to him saying looking at him trying to get him to focus on her "Sam" she said about four times before he finally looked at her and stopped

"Are you alright" he asked

"Come on you need to leave this place" she said pulling him away as she looked around "you got the keys?" she asked searching his pocket to find them as they walked, she got him inside the studio and sat him down "What are you doing here?" she asked

"No thanks then?"

"Yeah thanks you saved my life but I haven't seen you for what 3 months what are you doing here?" she asked "Family life suiting you?" she asked but he didn't answer just looked at her blankly

"It's your birthday" he smiled "I brought you something" he said taking a key out of his pocket along with a hanky to wrap around his grazed knuckle "Happy birthday" he said as he dropped the key in her hand "I came to show it to you today but it's too late now so we'll have to go tomorrow" he smiled "I have a song for you though" he said

"You want a song, at this hour?" she asked

"No I'm going to sing you a song" he laughed

"You sing?" she asked

"And I play the guitar, drums, piano and tambourine" he laughed louder

"Let's hear it" she laughed

"My style isn't what you'd expect" he smiled as he put his beat on and started strumming "Happy Birthday" he said before singing his version of **'Must Be Doing Something Wrong' by Billy Currington** as Mercy smiled and rocked along listening to the words playing the piano in parts as they sat on the bench together

"Country love it" she giggled "Thank you, can you see what I want in my face?" she asked going towards him and taking the lead in the smooch session that followed, she'd really missed him and as much as she wanted to bawl him out for fighting, not being there, not contacting her, she wanted to be with him "Sam I need you" she finally said without coaxing as Sam's head jilted to look at her, pure love in his eyes as he saw her fire, he gave her pleasure in more ways than one, without going all the way, and allowed her to give him pleasure for the first time, having sorted himself out "I wish we could spend the night together" she said as she lay in his arms on the Couch "Sam?" she called when he didn't reply looking up at him "I said I ..."

"I heard what you said Mercy, I'm just pissed at you reminding me I have to go back there"

"I'm sorry" she said rubbing his chest

"No I'm sorry" he said kissing her forehead

"We need to hurry up and get a bed I need to go all the way with this thing" she giggled

"Work in progress" he laughed moving uneasily

"I know" Mercy said looking up at him "It's time to go" she said getting up and picking up her clothes to get dressed as he did the same

"I'll come see you at lunch time tomorrow, go get your present" he smiled as they linked hands to walk out the office door

"Okay" she smiled up at him "Do you think that guy's laying dead out there?" she asked as they got to the door

"If he's still there he's going to be dead" Sam said seriously before smiling "I didn't kill him, I'm not that dangerous, well I am, I mean I can be, about you" he said bending to kiss her

"We had a conversation about the fighting thing" she said looking up at him as they got outside

"Yep and I remembered it, which was why I let that guy get away with so much, but when he started getting physical all bets were off I'm afraid"

"Point taken" she smiled

"Did I ever tell you I love your smile?" he asked

"Maybe" she giggled

"And I love you Miss Pretty"

"I love you too Mr Evans" she replied as she stared into his eyes "I love your eyes, mouth, hands do I need to go on" she asked letting his hand go as they exited the park "Goodnight"

"Come here" he said grabbing for her, kissing her deep again "Lunch tomorrow yeah?" he asked as he let her go

"Lunch" she said climbing out of his arms to walk away

 **Lunch**

Mercy was singing her take on **'At Last' by Celine Dion** when Sam walked into the studio and stood in the mixing room watching her with a smile on his face, she eventually finished, smiled at him unashamedly and called lunch

"Sam I'm glad you came, can we talk?" she asked

"Yeah lets do lunch we haven't for a while" he replied smiling at her acting skills, watching her grab her coat and make her way to him

"It's about the key" she smiled "So what's it for?" she asked as they got outside "I've been too excited to even sleep thinking about it" she laughed

"First that song is a hit" he laughed "I could kiss you right here" he said looking around

"Obviously it's yours" she said fanning his talk off "The key" she said holding it up

"We can walk it's not far" he said grabbing her hand and putting it on his arm as she walked proudly

"Are we stepping out" she giggled

"We're steppin" he laughed as they walked the block "Here" he finally said as they stood in front of a two story brownstone building

"What's here?" she asked

"Our home if you like it" he informed her

"Our Home!" she shouted holding her mouth for the attention she'd just drawn to them "You treating me like a Mistress?" she asked "A well kept one at that" she said slapping his arm

"Come on inside, we'll talk" he informed her pointing at the key, which she used to open the door shocked to see there was nothing in the house "It's ours already but I'll sell it if you don't want it, there's nothing in it because I thought we'd build our home together"

"Our home" she smiled at him

"Yeah, what you saying" he said as she broke away and went to look at the rest of the house

"It can be a home" she said when she finally got back to the main room he was still standing in

"Listen Mercy" Sam said grabbing hold of her "This really isn't the first conversation we needed to have in our new home but I need to tell you and I need privacy to tell you what I've been doing" he said looking around the empty room "Lets go in the kitchen" he said picking her up and putting her on the worktop as they entered it "Dad and Gwen are sleeping together and from what I can tell Mom maybe suspects but she's keeping quiet about things.

"Your Dad!" Mercy shouted shocked

"As I've said before I got Dad to give me the studio, he gave me the holiday home and I sold that to buy this they don't know about that, he's starting the signing over of the main house to me tomorrow and I've sent off the DNA tests for the children" he smiled nervously "I hated doing that but I have to know, when I break it has to be clean and if their mine, they're coming with me. The divorce is going to be messy I know that because I'm going to name my Dad as the cause and at some point she might want to name you, and that's why I need these next three months"

"The mystery man is your Dad?" she asked again when he'd finished

"Yeah now you see why I couldn't say anything until I was sure" he half smiled "That man has ruined my life, just so he could have a mistress in the same house, What kind of Dad does something like that to his own son?"

"I can't answer that Sam" she replied still in shock

"A totally useless, cruel one, I'll never trust again" he said his eyes a deep green with anger "Except you I trust you with my life" he smiled at her "You'll never hurt me will you?"

"Not on purpose no" she said hugging him "Promise you'll come to me if you need me yeah?"

"Every time, you know I will" he smiled "It's all going to be in the papers and everything Mercy and I need you to be ready for this and I'm saying sorry now for every bad thing that woman or my so called Dad say about you" he said as she held him to her chest

"Is this really happening Sam, are we going to be together for real?"

"It's finally happening" he said bringing her head up to kiss her on the lips "Lunch is over" he said looking at his watch "You need to get back and I need to go get things in motion" he said lifting her off the worktop and back on the floor

"A kiss, make it good it's got to last 3 months" she giggled and came out of the kiss crying "I miss you already" she said hugging him tight

"Ditto" he said grabbing her lips again and staying there until they needed breath "I got to go" he finally said letting her go and heading toward the door "I'll pass by the studio when I need you" he said looking at her for the longest time before turning and leaving the house, Mercy looked around for a while smiling

"Our house" she said hugging the key before she too left to get back to work

 **2 Months Later**

Mercy hadn't seen or heard from Sam for the longest time, again she started to question what it was she was really doing, waiting for what, who, when. Her songs took on to being gloomy again. She'd sent some flowers to the studio for his birthday with some chocolates no tag but he'd know it was her, the green label would give it away, as soon as he saw it

"He's got an admirer?" Joe commented when they arrived

"No just someone being nice again" she smiled

"What's Gwen got to say about this someone?" the guys questioned

"I don't know, I guess their best friends" Mercy said sarcastically

"I'm sure that's enemies" Joe laughed "Watch yourself girl" he warned as if he knew something

"Have you read this?" Derrick came in asking with the newspaper in front of him, eyes popping

"What?" everyone asked

"Mr Evans as in the, is taking his son to court as in Sam" he announced

"What's happened?" Joe asked as Mercy tried to look surprised

"Apparently, he's been watching him via camera around the house or something and got a whole heap of evidence claiming, what!" Derrick said stopping in mid-sentence

"Evidence about what?" Delrose asked

"My God no wonder lover boy ain't been in for time" Derrick said as he read the article to himself before looking up to share "Apparently Sam's Dad been sleeping with his wife and she had babies for him"

"So what's the problem if it's his wife, she's a bit old but if they want more kids that's up to them he's got enough money to make sure that goes alright" Delrose said smiling "Good for him"

"No Del, The Daddy sleeping with Sam's wife and Sam's babies not Sam's babies"

"Oh My God!" echoed around the room

"Mercy did you know about this?" Joe asked

"No" she lied "Why you asking me that?" she said cutting her eye at him

"Come on girl everyone who has eyes knows that man's got it bad for you, I'm guessing out of all of us you're the only virgin, so I get your naivety about this, but come on" he replied

"Yeah up until he got married all bets were on you and him getting it together, now this" Delrose laughed

"What!" Mercy didn't know whether to laugh or cry, she was relieved this had finally happened because now she knew they were a step closer to being together, but her mind was heavy on Sam and the fact that he was going through all this alone "So why court?" she asked Derrick

"Well apparently the Daddy didn't know about the cameras" he laughed "Or the blood tests" he finally got out "That dirty big bastard used his own son to get what he wanted, that's cruel" he sobered up saying "I guess we all need to be looking for other …." He lingered on as he read more

"What?" Delrose asked him getting closer to see the paper herself

"Sam wants them out the house today, apparently it's his along with this business, holiday home in The Keys, jewellery everything and he wants them stripped of the lot today"

"I don't even think that's too much to ask" Joe laughed "Man, to find out your whole life is a lie like that" he said shaking his head "Seriously, his Dad should count himself lucky it would have been a shotgun job for me"

"I know how much that boy loved his Dad, he must be really hurt" Delrose said looking around the room "So he owns this place now then?" she asked no one in particular "Well you can expect a different sound coming from Stardaz Record Company in the near future" she smiled "About damn time"

"The last time I really went out was last year on your birthday girl we went on the town remember, you all up for that again?" Joe asked

"Yeah without the Dean drama, that man was insane" she laughed

"You know I don't think I've seen him since that night" Joe noted

"Me neither, thank God" she laughed, her mind remembering Neville and her conversation with Sam the following day and what he'd hinted at having done, her breath itched at the thought of what could be possible; had he? She didn't even really ask him he offered some half-hearted story and for the life of her all she could remember of that night was that damn kiss and her feelings. why do I let him have that hold on me, what is it about him, why do I lo…."

"So what do you say Miss?" Delrose asked nudging her out of her thoughts "I'll come this time" she added

"I'll go for a drink but I'll come straight back, alone" she laughed

"It's a bit more than one drink, we start a new sound tomorrow, new boss, new label maybe it's a party we're talking" Joe added

"I'm not in the party mood, I'm too old for all that" Mercy replied

"Old?" Delrose laughed "You don't know nothing about being old girl"

So that night Mercy went with the crew to get a drink and have some fun, she needed a distraction today of all days because all she really wanted to do was go find Sam and hug him. The night went better than she expected and she ended up staying longer than she'd expected passing by her new home on the way back just looking at it as the Taxi rushed towards it bringing a smile to her face "Hold up" she said to the taxi when she saw light in the house, he pulled up just past it. "I'll get out here" she informed the driver passing him the money for the cab, excited that Sam was around and in their place. Just as she got to the door she heard muffled talking but she couldn't recognise the voices, she tried to look through the window but the blinds hindered her sight "What would he be doing in there with another woman?" she stood asking herself

"Come on let's see what the floor upstairs offers" the woman said laughing "I plan on christening every room again before we go" she giggled while Mercy watched in horror as the shadows climbed the stairs

"God" she gasped "He's been cheating on me" she said as she ran in the direction of home, she didn't stop running until she got to the park, her place, she found the bench and sat, her hands over her face, crying "He made a damn fool of me"

"Who?" she heard above her, she knew who it was as she looked up "Who made a fool of you?" he asked again not able to make out the look on her face

"You, you went upstairs with that woman" she sobbed

"What woman?"

"I don't know who she is, I just know I heard you both in our house" she spat at him

"I haven't been to our house since I rented it out" he replied

"Rented it out?" she asked her head shooting up from her hands

"Yeah, can we go in" he said pointing to the studio "It's the third day in court and I don't want anything leading to you" he explained as they walked towards the studio, Sam opened the door and let her in before locking it behind him "Here" he said pushing a key into her hand

"What's this?

"A birthday present" he smiled

"It's your birthday, another key?" she questioned as he smiled

"Don't you want it then?" he asked making to take it back as she closed her hand around it and smiled

"So what can I open this time?"

"That door" he said pointing at the door they'd just come in

"Oh I'm a gatekeeper" she said understanding the key thing "Thanks" she said kissing him lightly on the lips as he dragged her in and kissed her deep

"Not a keeper, an owner" he corrected her before pulling her in again

"Sam" she said when he finally let her up "How can I have all this and not a penny in my damn pocket?" she asked

"We got all this Mercy and we have more than pennies in our pockets" he told her before he went back for her lips "God I missed you so much"

"I missed you too" she said finally, totally giving in to her needs and kissing him back deeper than she ever had "So" she said moving away from him, to control herself "What happened?"

"Well" he said rolling his eyes "I think my Mom knew but just didn't have the evidence, because as soon as she got the word, she was up and out of there straight back to her sister in Canada, said she' not coming back, I offered her an allowance or something to keep her going she refused it saying she wanted nothing that ever belonged to him, kissed me and left" he smiled

"And"

"And well once Mom was out the way I just ploughed ahead, the test results came in the day I told Mom and the finalisation of Dad signing over the house came through on that morning too, I told you it was going to happen, and well the rest is in the papers" he said

"I want details Sam the papers weren't there"

"Gwen obviously denied everything at first, said I was going mad, they both tried to say I was mad. Then I left a recording of them at it on the screen in the back bedroom, where they always went to do their thing, and I know they saw it but none of them said anything, so I brought it up that I'd watched it" he laughed "They tried to make out it was a one off and I turned the recorder on, in the living room for about 30 minutes showing different times, dates, whatever and finally I brought out the DNA test results" he got up saying "Dad just crumbled in front of me, that was sad to watch, but he'd done that to me, he made me give up everything I ever wanted just to have his bit on the side on tap" he turned saying and Mercy could see he was crying

"I'm sorry Sam" she went to him hugging him as he broke down in her arms

"I love my Dad, I guess I always will, he's my Dad, but I can never forgive him for doing this to me"

"I know" was all she could find to say as she rubbed his back and let him get it all out "What about the children?" she asked when he'd calmed down

"You mean my brother and sister?" he huffed seriously "They are who they are and I suppose they'll get what's theirs when Dad and Gwen get married, but for now I've got what's mine and Mom's alright with that so I guess I'm good

"Are you?" she asked holding his head up to look at her "I mean really, are you?"

"I'm fine now" he said hugging her in "I've got tomorrow left in court and then it's over, I can do one more day" he smiled "But can you?" he asked

"As long as it's just one more day" she confirmed

"I've got the solicitor to serve the divorce papers directly after the hearing, so that should be sorted within the month" he smiled "We can start buying furniture and stuff for our house on Saturday if you like?"

"I like" she half smiled

"What's up Mercy?" he asked seeing the uncertainty in her face

"I guess I'm all excited about you getting rid of Gwen and stuff, I forgot to wonder about what I'd do if that was me in four year's"

"Mercy" he said holding her tighter "I love you, there was never any of that stuff with her, I've invested in this with you and I think it would kill me to walk away from it" he said looking at her "I don't think you understand what my feeling is, and maybe that's my fault, never having made it clear enough even for me to understand. My soul lifts when I see you, I want to be that better person for you, I'm like a mad man with jealousy at everything to do with you, at first I thought that was unhealthy and I cursed myself for it but then I began to understand the concept of having a soulmate and it got easier"

"I must have got the concept from the off then because, loving you has always been just comfortable for me" she laughed "Painful but comfortable"

"I guess for me it was the struggle between what I wanted and what my Dad expected initially" he smiled "And to be truthful I've never struggled with that concept in my life before, what Dad wants he gets no questions" he said reaching to kiss her "But I've been so focused on being with you, regardless of what he wanted, I found that difficult to cope with" he smiled "I thought I was going mad when I started talking about killing people and stuff" he giggled "I walked away from that conversation wondering who the hell I was"

"Oh yeah; whatever happened to Neville?" Mercy asked

"I never saw him again after I told him to leave you alone, he was built, I'd have lost if he'd have took me to task" he laughed "He just told me I had it bad for you and he'd back off"

"I built you up to be this, cold blooded killer walking around killing everything in your path" she laughed "Walking around kicking myself for loving somebody like you"

"I need you Mercy" he said as he watched her laugh "Please tell me you need me too?"

"I need you Sam, and I love needing you" she smiled settling down to talk seriously "I know what my next song's going to be" she announced getting up "It'll be done tomorrow" she announced

"That's good because tomorrow's the last day of the old, on Monday we're bringing in a whole new sound bringing this thing into the 20th century before it finishes" he smiled "I'm fed up with Dad's 1940s feel on the place I'm jumping past the 80s and straight into the 90s with my take on things" he said excited

"But Sam we haven't got to the 90s yet"

"Hold on Mercy Evan's this things gonna go loud and fast, we're gonna be big it's 1989 we need to be doing 2000 stuff to get up there" he stated

"Loud, Fast, Big?" she questioned

"Yep; we're expanding R & B, Country, Pop, there's some new Rap stuff I've been hearing, new sounds like Mr Jordan and Amy they're gonna be big and I'm signing them up next month, I'm already sourcing other venues to build bigger and better studios for us and this one's getting a serious upgrade" he said looking around "Imagine people actually renting space from us as well as making money doing records, scouting won't happen so much because we'll have made a name for ourselves, people will be lining up at the door to use our facilities"

"It sounds great Sam" she smiled taking it all in

"Yeah it does, but those are just my ideas we need to hear yours and put them together to see a bigger picture for our future plans"

"Our future plans?" she asked waiting for confirmation

"Yes Mercy I need you to be on this ride with me I did all this for you, I need you to be the centre of my life" he smiled

"I think I maybe need you for exactly the same reason" she smiled going in for her kiss _'Is this real?'_ she thought as she fell into him


	3. Chapter 3

**Studio**

Mercy walked into the studio the following morning and apart from calling order and stating the song there was no stops until she had a half decent cover of **'Someone to watch over me; by Amy Winehouse** "That was my very last Blues song coming out of Stardaz Record Company" she said to herself with closed eyes and smiled

"Sam Won" Joe came in shouting as everyone cheered "Come on guys please tell me this is cause for an all night party?" he asked everyone still cheering. TSam didn't get to the studio that night, he'd never said he would but Mercy expected to see him so her party was happy but sad at the same time. The following day a parcel arrived at her house, Blanc handed it to her as she came down to make her breakfast and stood waiting for her to open it

"What?" Mercy asked looking back at her

"What is it?" she asked with a smile

"I'll find out when I open it" she said throwing some cereal in her mouth as everyone sat quietly watching her, leaving with bowl and spoon in hand and the parcel under her arm. She got upstairs to her room almost threw the bowl down in her rush to get the parcel open "A phone?" she asked the box "Another mobile phone" she said taking the instructions out the box to find a note at the bottom from Sam 'My numbers in, we have a direct line to each other please use this one' _'2G I heard Joe going on about getting one of these new gadgets, now I'm going to have to ask him how it works, Damn'_ she smiled before reading the simplified instructions and finally making her first call to Sam

"Hello this is Mercy Jones could I speak to Sam please?" she said as the man answered the phone

"Mercy it's me you don't have to do all that, just say hi Sam or Babe or something sweet like that" he laughed

"Hi" she said excitedly

"You remember we're going shopping today?" he asked

"Yeah I do, what time are you thinking of getting here, this is so fun" she giggled

"About an hour" he laughed "Is that enough time?"

"Yeah I'll be ready"

"I'll call you when I get there" he laughed "Bye Mercy"

"Bye Sam" she smiled

So they met up and went shopping, buying furniture for their new home on Saturday going out unashamedly again on Sunday to buy more, and everything was being delivered on Monday. Sam stuck a note on the studio door on Sunday night telling everyone they'd got the day off on Monday, while they prepared and planned their new home. Mercy was in heaven she couldn't believe all this was coming through for her, that Sam was actually coming through for her, it was a dream right up until they brought that first piece of furniture, it had all been a dream she'd hoped would one day come true and now here she was living that damn dream, Sam was trying his best to make up for the lost years, he wanted this relationship to work, he'd dreamt about it for so long now and kept her waiting, hoping even he needed to prove his worth, he couldn't give her enough, couldn't spend too much time with her he was finally happy again and his only other wish now was that everything went well this time round.

Tuesday quickly came around and they were back at work, Sam surprised Mercy when he walked into the studio with nearly everyone there and announced that they had finally started a relationship, everyone took a breath of release they all knew this had been five years in the making, but none of them had dared say a word about it "So" Sam said as the cheers died down "I plan on asking her to marry me as soon as I'm out of this mess I'm in, and, I guess life will get easier for you guys" he said looking at Mercy and smiling "With a happy boss I mean" he laughed

"You're a happy boss alright, boss" Derrick said laughing

"Yeah I know but she's a happier one" he said looking at Mercy as he spoke

"What Mercy, you're the boss?" Delrose screamed

"One of them" she smiled looking at Sam

"We have big plans for Stardaz Studios" Sam smiled

"Studios" Joe and Ben said together raising eyebrows

"Well you might have plans for Stardaz Studios but she's still under contract to me for another two songs" Sam's Father walked in saying, his face red with thunder he could do nothing about

"What the hell are you doing here?" Sam spun round asking him , angry at the intrusion "You're trespassing" he shouted

"It's still my business name over this place and that girl still owes me songs" he said smiling at Gwen when made an appearance behind him, Sam looked at Mercy and rolled his eyes, turning towards his Father and soon to be ex-wife to say something but before he could Mercy started talking, he let her

"Yes Sir, I know I owe you two songs, I was just saying to Sam I needed to rent some studio time to get them out to you" she smiled as Sam looked on "I was trying to get it for free but he's not hearing it" she smiled "So are you going to pay?"

"No" he looked at her shocked saying

"So how am I ….."

"I don't care how you and this mistake I had as a child do it, but I want my two songs within the month" he shouted looking between Sam and Mercy as he spoke, Gwen stood with a smirk on her face in the background as usual

"Yes Sir" Mercy said as if she was talking to an army captain, turning to the band "You heard the man come on lets get to work" she ordered Sam stood watching her wondering what was going on for her, ' _Of course like everyone else_ _he'd seen Gwen come in, but try as he might he couldn't be bothered to acknowledge her enough to even ask about his siblings, it was all just too raw for him to deal with,_ _he looked at Mercy going about her usual in charge of the band stuff and smiled '_ _She must have known how I was feeling just then'_ he looked around the room to see if anyone noticed the way he was looking at her, smiling as his eyes caught the back of Gwen and his Father leaving _'Good riddance'_ he thought going to hold Mercy for what she just did

"Why did you agree to that?" he asked her, pulling her to him

"Because he's right, I owe him two songs according to my contract, I couldn't argue that, but I have many songs so I don't mind giving two up, but I'm going to work on two new songs to send out on our new label for the same time, it will drown those others, he'll make nothing from them" she smiled

"Not just a pretty face" he smiled kissing her on the forehead and letting her go to do her thing

"Guys I don't want him coming back at us with anything so I need them perfect first time" she instructed the band, as they got to practising the music she'd put in front of them "Right got it?" she asked an hour or so later as everyone perfected their musical contributions

"Got it" Joe smiled

Mercy had found a new confidence in being part of something and maybe being with Sam, he'd finally turned good for her, she'd spoken to his Dad a little out of turn and he'd praised her for it, she could definitely get used to being part owner of this music thing and the love of Sam's life " **I've been loving you too long' by Irma Thomas** from the top" she requested as the band started playing and Sam sat listening to this woman singing their life, she was angry, passionate, relieved, crying and smiling all that the same time, he felt sad for making her feel all those emotions as she sung, but she was also putting an end to something, maybe this was the end of her Etta James thing, maybe her view for the business had a new sound and he was excited for that, happy about this new shift, smiling while he instructing the mix, it was a hit, what was she planning on letting off the same time as this to kick it out. "Keep up people" she shouted as soon as Sam shouted it was a take "I'm in the mood to make some noise so lets run with ' **I just wanna make love to you' by Adele** she said not giving anyone the chance to comment on the last song, she knew what she wanted. Everyone was dancing around playing their instruments the backers were having fun doo bopping in the background, Mercy was literally dancing singing as she looked into Sam's eyes and he was excited for this one, rocking her sexy moves, this was Mercy as he'd always seen her she was out of that shell, she kept herself in for everyone to wonder, Sam clapped and everyone cheered as soon as she finished the second song "He's happy" she smiled "That's a wrap"she said laughing "Now lets get on with the new stuff"

"New stuff?" he asked surprised "What new stuff?"

"Mercy's got herself a brand new sound, didn't you know?" Joe butted in, the look Sam gave him, he felt he needed to push himself as far into the background as he could possibly get "Sorry" he mouthed

"Okay every one back tomorrow for all that, I need to speak to Mercy" Sam announced looking at her, his phone buzzed, he checked the message, while she spoke

"So rude" she looked at him smiling "Sam I'm in a zone, I need to get working on this n..."

"Sorry but I have more news" he said putting his mobile back in his pocket, "I've just got one thing to do and then I'm ready" he said walking off towards his office. Mercy was immediately excited she didn't ask anything else she grabbed her coat and said bye to everyone. Ten minutes and she'd finished saying bye and was stood waiting for Sam to get back, before thinking _actually were officially together now_ and wondering off down to the office

"What's taking so..." she got out before Sam held his hand up signalling for her to wait a moment, he was on the phone, he finished his conversation and smiled at her

"You're so impatient" he laughed

"Five years?" she asked him

"I mean about knowing things" he said holding his hand out for her to go to him, which she did, "So the big thing is I asked the solicitor to let me know the minute the papers came back for the divorce and he just got them, I called him back to find out how quick they could be stamped and he's telling me tomorrow morning" he smiled

"Okay so we can move into our house sooner than we thought" she confirmed

"Well yes" Sam said pulling her down to sit on his lap "But we can also look at getting married, if you'll have me" he said as she moved off his lap and turned fully to look at him "Mercy I know I've been the worst ever to you and at times I'm sure you've questioned my motives but, hand on heart I love you with all I am, I'm finally excited about what life has in store for us for me with you by my side. I feel I can conquer the world right now, you do that for me" he said getting down on one knee right there in the office "Mercy Jones, will you do me the honour of..." was all he got out before Mercy bent down and covered his lips with hers

"Do I really need to answer that?" she asked when she came up for air

"You know me I don't do anything with you unless you agree" he smiled

"Yes Sam Evans, I'd love to be Mrs Evans, actually I need to be Mrs Evans" she smiled

"You need me" he smiled back at her "I'm the happiest man in the world" he said holding his heart "Those songs, can we take a two week break on them have a wedding and a honeymoon maybe go see your parents and my Mom, I don't think a divorced person would be welcomed in the church so it's registry office I'm afraid" he frowned at her getting up to sit back on the couch and pulling her to sit back on him

"My Dad's a minister or did you forget, he's gonna be blessing us like crazy to get the sin out of this, I'll feel guilty for about a second" she laughed

"So you're alright with the registry office thing then?"

"It's the only way this is going to happen, unless you're willing to go through the 26 week Marriage guidance thing, baptism, church membership and all that before we tie that knot"

"Do you want me to go through all that?"

"That's your call" she laughed

"I think I'll go with the feeling guilty for a second" he smiled

"Thought so, chicken" she laughed "Let me get this one song out, I have a new style to try out and I want to get it out the same day your Dad releases those other songs" she told him "Then I can concentrate on us, is that for real; us?"

"You do what you need to do, definitely us" he smiled at her "But just so we agree the plan is, we get married this week, fly back to Lima straight after, well the next morning, because the shit will be hitting here, and stay for the weekend before going to visit Mom for two days and then off for our honeymoon"

"Honeymoon sounds sexy" she wiggled in his lap

"It's going to be that alright" he said pulling her in for a long kiss "Song" he said "First thing in the morning I promise, then we can get on with our business.

 **Wednesday**

Mercy and Sam were still living in their separate quarters, he'd finally got her to agree to that happening until they were married, mainly because he didn't want their relationship to look anything but legitimate. So when they arrived for work the next morning separately, they were met with questioning eyes

"I thought you two were.." Joe asked looking at Mercy then Sam as they said hello to each other

"Yep but No" Sam told him, his look closing the conversation down "But we do have an announcement" he said as everyone stopped what they were doing

"Is this going to be a thing now?" Delrose asked as Mercy looked at her blankly "An announcement every morning" she enquired making Mercy smile

"No Del it's not" Sam responded his slitted eyes and pursed lips telling her it was time to shut up "Well it's maybe our last announcement for this week" he smiled grabbing for Mercy before he spoke again "We're getting married tomorrow afternoon and we'd like you all to come help us do that?" he just about got out before cheers went up in the studio closely followed by hugs, hand shaking and congratulations being thrown around the room. "So" Sam said calming things down "2pm tomorrow at the local registry office, food and drinks after"

Less than an hour after the announcement they were in the sound booth, the musicians happy and her backing singers excited as they belted out a new version of **'High' by Ledisi** she ended up in his arms with the mic around her neck singing the last few word up at him, the biggest smile on her face

"Wow" was all Sam could find to say as he stood watching her girl smiling at having been able to even think that, let alone it being true

"That's telling you" she said when she saw the smile on his face

"Where the hell did that come from?" he asked excited "Over all the damn hard times for real, that did it for me, I like it" he smiled "That's a wrap" he shouted to everyone

"That one's for the new label" she announced as she grabbed her coat, thinking about more shopping she had to do, this time for wedding clothes, Del must have been thinking the same thing because just as she thought it she heard her shout out

"I need to buy a dress"

"So do I" Mercy stopped in her tracks smiling at her girls mind, they grabbed hold of each other and walked

"Here" Sam called to her walking over to give her his black credit card "Sort you and your, can I say, chief bridesmaid out" he smiled as Delrose nodded a definite yes "Ben will you be my best man?"

"Yes Sir it would be an honour"

"Okay everyone do what they need to do, you'll be paid for these three days and bring your families if you want, we have nobody but you guys" he said looking around the room with sincerity on his face, he was sure everyone took that second to reflect on the sadness of his family not being there, he had Mercy he was fine

Shopping was fast and furious, they had to get everything, Mercy was constantly on the phone to Sam about the price of things, asking permission to spend for things "Mercy" he stopped her in her conversation saying "Spend the damn money anything you want just get it"

"But everything cost so much" she screamed back at him

"It's our money, we're not going to be bankrupt on the cost of a wedding trust me" he laughed down the phone

"You won't be saying that when the bill gets here" she laughed

"There's no bill babe we're spending real money" he giggled

"I think that just made me feel worse"

"Don't, just think of how you want to look on your wedding day" he smiled "Can you see yourself?"

"Yeah I can"

"Now go buy that, get that look" he told her

"I can't" she giggled down the phone

"Mercy" he said she knew he was getting agitated with her "Why not?"

"Because... don't laugh" she giggled "I'm naked" she said quickly waiting for his reaction

"Get off the phone" he laughed "You did that on purpose"

"Bye Sam" she chuckled closing the call down before he could say anything else

 **Thursday**

The next day came like a hurricane Mercy hadn't slept a wink she was making sure everything was ready _'what girl has one day to organise her own wedding'_ she thought, her dress, shoes, accessories, after dress and bag sat on her bed, while she sat on the chair opposite, her feet tucked under her looking at them _'what the hell are you doing girl'_ she asked herself _'Tying yourself to this one man for the rest of your damn life. Tying not bad but, a damn white man, your Daddy is gonna kill you and then wake you up and kill you again to make sure you don't go directly to heaven'_ she told herself _'Not if Sam's got anything to do with it'_ she laughed to herself _'You love that man, God you love that country singing man, he's your man_ "I love him" she said out loud before throwing the last of her clothes into her suitcase and going to set herself a bath before going down for breakfast and to inform her house mates of the pending changes

Sam was in the big house, he'd taken the opportunity to de-stress by having a drink and falling into bed for some well deserved sleep, which lasted about 20 minutes before he was up and thinking, his conversation with Mercy had left him feeling high and dry, it didn't help that he was staring at D day _'One day to organise a damn wedding, registry office, ring, suit, venue, food, flights, suitcase'_ he asked himself as he looked around his almost empty room for the missing items he was familiar with "This should be gone by the time we get back" he said looking around the room one last time before getting up. It was early morning so he took the opportunity to go around the house and the grounds one last time too, it had been his childhood after all false or not he'd had it and at some point he must have been happy, a tear coming for memories that seemed so real back then "He must have loved me once" he told himself as he looked at the big picture of the family which took pride of place in the main room "But now I'm having the life I want, with the person I need, and that tops everything" he smiled as he thought about the day ahead

Mercy got to the bottom of the stairs and hesitated for what she was about to do _'You're giving information not expecting praise and these people are not your family'_ she told herself as her stomach flipped over a few times "Push on" she said pushing the door open as if she was walking onto a stage

"Morning Mercy" one of the girls shouted as she came in, she stood still as everyone else looked round at her

"What?" she asked as everyone stared

"They heard, mind I said heard, that a certain Mr Evans Junior walked you home last night and, there was some PDR on show" Blanc stated

"Oh" Mercy said leaving the door to go find a seat around the table

"Oh?" Blanc asked "Is there some truth in it?"

"Yep" Mercy smiled as everyone grabbed a seat around her "Well Sam and I are..."

"Wooo Sam and I" one of the girls mimicked

"Wait for it" Mercy smiled "We're getting married this afternoon, so I'm moving out today but you're all welcome to attend the very small wedding" she said as every one looked at her

"Are you joking?" Blanc asked

"No my stuffs upstairs on my bed go look, I'm getting married at 2pm today and we're having a honeymoon" she said rolling her eyes and bringing her hand up to brush her hair back for effect "I'm going to be Mrs Sam Evans" she announced

"Are you sure about this?" Blanc asked "I have to ask, I need to look out for my girls" she smiled

"I'm 5 years in the waiting, positive Blanc" she smiled "I came here for him" she said as Blanc's hand cupped her face

"I know girl" she smiled "I also know the park's one of your favourite meeting places" making Mercy blush "You were always the perfect lady" she said pulling her up by her face and hugging her "Now lets go get ready for this wedding" she said to the others. All five house mates got ready and went out arranging as they went to get pampered, have their hair dos and nails painted following the massive shopping marathon for dresses, ending with a fine Brunch before returning home to get washed and ready for the afternoon ceremony. Delrose turned up about 13.15 ready with curing irons and stuff surprised that all her work had been done to a very high standard

"Who's going to do my hair?" she asked as Blanc stepped in and done an equally brilliant job on her hair. By 13.45 they were ready to leave for the registry office, Mercy and Delrose being the last ones to leave, Mercy draped in her Caroline Castigliano shelf dress, at such short notice, her classic Elizabethan wedding shoes fitting like gloves, with veil and long arm gloves to match the look

Sam had been sitting thinking about his life, he'd rocked up at that juice joint that day expecting to sign up Millie as a last ditch on proving to his Dad he was worth his salt. He smiled as he remembered the look on Mercy's face all expecting and innocent, it got him and that voice, it was mesmerising, she was the world to him then and today he felt that even stronger, he was finally getting his dream, he shut his eyes trying to shut out everything that had happened over the past five years, as Gwen threatened to re-enter his head "Stop" he shouted out loud not wanting anything to do with that on the happiest day of his life to date. He was just getting back to his happy thoughts when he heard his doorbell ring, he walked towards the door recognising the familiar shape, his cousin Steve just happened to come round to see him, they hadn't really had any time together since he'd gotten married to Gwen, Steve had told him to follow his heart and he'd gone with following his Dad, they had words resulting in Steve telling him it was all going to come crashing down around him and he was giving up on his life. "Steve" he said rolling his eyes as he opened the door to see him standing there "I know you told me so" he whined

"I know I did Cuz but seriously, this was not the way I envisaged it all going down, I'm really sorry about what happened to you" he said grabbing his hand "Seriously, Uncle D was out of order on that one"

"Yeah thanks" he replied seeing the sincerity in his cousin's eyes

"So, I guessed you'd be rattling around in this big old house" he said looking around "Where's the furniture?"

"I've sold it"

"Why sell the furniture?" he asked still looking around "You're gonna get more right?"

"I sold the house" he informed him

"Already" he gasped "It's only been about a week or something like that hasn't it?"

"It's been nearly three and a half years Steve"

"What!" he said loudly looking back at Sam "You knew all that time?"

"No, I've been trapped all that time, I just want to forget everything to do with that man and get on with my life, I start my new life today and I don't want any trace of them in it" he said turning to go to the kitchen, the only room with anything left in it except his bed in his room. "You know I've been in love with a woman I couldn't even touch because of that man for over 5 years, and now I'm free, I don't intend on spending another day without her"

"What Mercy, you're giving all this up for Mercy?" he asked

"No I'm sharing all this, well the money, the businesses, and my life with Mercy" he corrected him

"But Sam you..."

"Don't you even dare to presume to know what a but is about in my life"

"I'm shocked that's all" he replied "What does Mercy think of all this rebound stuff?"

"She's always known the score, there was never anything between Gwen and I to rebound off, I asked her and we're getting married later today"

"What today?"

"Today" Sam said nodding his head and staring at Steve trying to gage his response

"Congratulations" he said hugging him "You have to be the single, most bravest person I've ever had the privilege to know, to go up against the power called D Evans and come out with cake on your face, I commend you"

"Thanks" Sam said laughing

"Is she worth it Sam?"

"Is she worth it? you really asking me that?" he asked his cousin "I've loved her since the second I saw her back in Lima, since then I've tried everything to get her to be with me, she's strong and I love that about her, she loves me; she's proved that by sticking by me with all my shit, every promise I ever made to her I guess I've broken but she sticks with me, for what I really don't know. Grateful is not the word I'd want to use here, worthy might be a word I'd ask her about me, I don't think I'm worthy of her, she has unconditional love and that's what I have for her, man I can't imagine this feeling ever going away, I'd fight myself I think if there was ever a doubt creep in my mind" he smiled "She is so fine, she controls me she doesn't even know that but she does, hell yes she's worth it" he said finally looking back at his smiling cousin

"I get it you love her" he said hugging him "I need to get a suit" he smiled pulling away from him "Time, Place" he enquired as Sam gave him the information "I'll see you there, you got a best man?"

"Yep" Sam smiled, Steve let him go and left suddenly he was left with his thoughts again getting ready until Ben arrived at 13.15 ready for the off

"Come on" he shouted, knocking the door "Car's here" he smiled as Sam opened the door "Dapper" he commented, widening his eyes as Sam stood in his Grey Brookes Brothers get up with John Lobb footwear everything complementing everything, dripping rich

The actual wedding was short and sweet, just as they wanted it, with Sam's three cousins turning up and Mercy's five house mates along with the band and backing singers they had a party of 18 strong celebrating their joining together day, the band surprised them with a song down the short aisle, Sam was shocked to hear Joe and the guys singing **'This Very Moment' by K-Ci & Jo Jo **with, it seemed like the whole congregation on backing. The meal was from a rather exclusive menu and the free bar was well utilised for the evening, they finally got round to having the first dance to some serious Saxophone rendition of ' **Last Date'** by some random guy at the bar called **Ace Cannon** just rocking and talking as they moved around oblivious to anyone else in the room, alerted to the end of the song by people clapping. Directly after that Mercy went and got changed into a beautiful just below the knee, Purple Amanda Wakeley, threw the bouquet and after that they left for the hotel room.

They wasted little time in finding the bedroom, there was urgency, but they expected that this was their first time, Sam had to keep remembering she was a virgin and slowing himself down "Mercy" he whispered once he felt they were approaching the next stage, Mercy wasn't listening she was getting lost in her own feelings, she was feeling things for the first time her mind was busy remembering. Her movement was urgent but he kept pulling back, while his hands were wasting no time searched the same places over and over again, while he forced his mind to wait "Mercy" he said again pain in his voice as he called her name again, his head wondering down her body as he took her in his mouth, she'd felt this before but it didn't stop her body from taking over control of itself as her muscles moved rhythmically to his touch, he smiled as he heard her noise as he want faster bringing her to peak, she lay opened up to him enjoying herself, waiting for the next stage to happen "Mercy" he looked up at her his eyes begging her

"What?" she finally breathlessly asked

"You need to give me permission"

"I'm your wife Sam, that's permission"

"No it's not"

"What?"

"No its not, I need you to give me permission" he sat up saying smiling at her "This is a different kind of love for me babe, seriously I don't really understand what's happening but I like it, I have no intentions of you feeling anything but happy so" he smiled "I need you to always give me permission to be with you" he frowned "Humour me"

"I give you permission Sam" she smiled as he went back in with a different mission this time, as much as he tried to slow things down and be gentle, Mercy was making sure that he knew that wasn't her, needless to say, there was no sleep that night, they had to be dressed and ready for their 6am check in, so by 5am they were on their way to the airport excited for being back in Lima and seeing her family for the first time in five years "Where are we going after Canada?" an exhausted Mercy asked, her head laying on Sam's shoulder as she moved about trying to settle her sore butt

"I booked the flight for Saturday morning from Lima to Canada but we can leave earlier if we need to" he smiled

"Great but that really didn't answer the question" she lifted her head to look at him

"I know Mercy but I want it to be a surprise" he said his bottom lip pushed out begging her not to ask anything else

"Okay, I guess I can wait" she smiled as they left the airport for the plane, they both managed to grab the five hours sleep, Sam smiling when he woke up to find her laying across his lap, reminding him he'd finally got his wife

"Babe" he softly shook her saying "Babe" he whispered in her ear

"I give you permission" she said not opening her eyes, he knew she was still sleeping

"Okay" he laughed to himself as he hand wondered down the front of her blouse, surprised when she didn't move he ventured a bit lower "You gave me permission right?" he asked before his hand went down the front of her trousers "Here on the plane yeah?" he asked as she moved to accommodate him

"What?" she looked up asking "Sam" she whipped his hand out of her trousers saying looking around, before her eyes fell on a laughing Sam

"You gave permission" he said shying away as her hand flew at him "You said" he told her again

"You knew where we were" she laughed at him laying in his welcoming arm as he laughed

"Are you cold?" he asked throwing the blanket over her

"No..."

"Yeah you are" he said putting his hand back where he wanted it "Your warm enough now?" he asked with a smile on his face as he felt her shaking to his movement, she couldn't say anything she was trying to be quiet about it she just snuggled in and could have gone back to sleep, except for Sam getting up to go to the bathroom, and coming back a bit red faced

"You went there without me" she frowned

"God, you were there" he smiled pulling her to him

 **Friday**

Sam threw the cases in the hire car and made his way back to Mercy's parent house "What do I call them Mr & Mrs, Mom and Dad or Paster and Pasteress" he laughed as they drove along

"Is there such a title?" Mercy giggled "Just say Mr & Mrs until they tell you different"

"Okay" he said smiling "My belly just done a few flips " he said holding his tummy

"I can't describe what my body's doing" she chuckled "We're here" she bounced on the seat announcing "They should be having breakfast" she added excitedly jumping out the car she hadn't seen her parents for over 5 years. She pushed the door and walked in shouting her parents as she went, as predicted they came out of the kitchen just as excited to see her, "Mom, Dad" she said her arms wide open to receive them

"Baby" her Mom said already crying "You've grown up" she said pushing her away from her to look at her from head to toe "You're a woman" she cried some more "And I missed it all" she said hugging her back in as Sam stood watching the reunion

"Mom, Dad you remember Sam" she said grabbing for him to come forward

"Yes Sam, nice to see you again" her Mom said giving her hand for shaking "I've heard the songs" she smiled "We've all heard the songs" she looked back at Paster saying "You did our daughter good, thank you"

"Nice to see you again" her Dad said shaking his hand too "I'm sure I heard a new song yesterday, no promoting going on?"

"Well we came with news" she looked up at Sam saying bringing smiles to her parents faces "We errr" she looked at them nervously "We got married yesterday" she finally announced

"What!?" they shouted together more surprised than angry

"In the biblical sense?" her Dad asked

"You did, didn't you, you get married in the biblical sense yeah?" her Mom asked holding her chest

"Yes we did, yesterday Mom" Mercy said rolling her eyes

"Oh Lord" her Dad said walking away "I knew I should have gotten that creaking bed fixed when you said" making Mercy and Sam laugh "I don't think the upstairs floors can take another newly wed bashing" he laughed "Remember Bee?" he asked his wife looking back at her

"Mike stop it" she grinned "Congratulations Baby" she said hugging her and then Sam "Welcome to the family"

"I'm just happy you didn't get caught up with one of those guys from down the lane" her Dad said calling them to him as he got up from his comfy chair, giving Mercy a hug and shaking Sam's hand again "You guys had breakfast?" he asked

"Not yet" Sam replied

"Bee you need to cook up a storm for these guys, if you know what I mean" he said winking at Sam "Girl did he force you to do anything?" he asked Mercy

"No daddy"

"Tell me if he does I'll get those guys down the lane to come sort him out for you okay?" his eyes giggling as he spoke

"Yes Daddy" she smiled

They had a hearty breakfast and went around the town, she was desperate to see her old friends but mainly Soraya and Trevalin so they headed to the local coffee shop, their parents owned. They spent a while there before stopping off at the old Juice bar to reminisce "Millie" Mercy said happy to see this woman she hadn't seen in 5 years "You're still here?"

"Where am I gonna be girl?" she turned saying before she realised who it was "Mercy is it?" she smiled

"Yes Miss Millie, it's me"

"And Sam" she said shaking his hand "So Miss Jones I hear your music on the rounds sometimes and I'm proud to have discovered you"

"Thank you, but that's Mrs Evans now Sam and I got married yesterday" she smiled

"Did you tell your Daddy yet?" she asked

"Yeah they're cool"

"Then congratulations, one for the road" she asked pointing at the stage as Mercy looked at Sam

"Your call" he said holding his hands up

"Just one and it's going to be to Sam" she said kissing him as she gave him her coat and straightened up to go on stage. Sam went to grab a seat out front

"Good evening everyone sorry for the disruption" she smiled "I need to take my life back to this spot so I can rewind it and start it again from today, well yesterday really" she said smiling at Sam "5 Years ago when I sang this song I was just singing a song, today I can truly say it means something well everything to me. So here's my cover of ' **Misty Blue' by Monica** Sam this is for you" she smiled before she started singing, taking the audience to her place

"That was beautiful" Sam got up saying when she finished, clapping louder than anyone else watching her walk towards him "You're right it's our new start all the people we need behind us are there, we can go ahead fearlessly" he smiled

"This is going to work Sam I can feel it" she said excitedly

"I know my past life doesn't give you confidence regarding trust and stuff but we're for life Mercy and I intend on letting you know I'm totally yours every day of our lives together, which I intend on making forever by the way" he laughed.

They sat listening to the show, when Odetta came on stage, Mercy smiled at him and he wondered why, but when she opened her mouth he knew what Mercy's smile was about "Sam" she whispered to him as they listened "I know we're not on official business but..." she stopped to look at his face "Will you leave her our card?"

"Sure" he smiled, waiting until she'd finished before approaching her with their card and explaining their business "And that's enough of that for our honeymoon" he told Mercy as they walked off "Let's go" he grabbed her coat saying both waving as they left

They got home to find her parents already in bed "We're up early in the morning we might as well go to bed" she wiggled her eyebrows saying making him laugh

"Might as well" he followed her up the stairs saying, they got into their room and burst out laughing at the pillows her parents had stuffed behind the headboard "Just for that nothing's happening tonight" he told her, rolling his eyes. In her head Mercy was thinking the total opposite, dragging him to the bathroom, where they stayed for hours before finally flopping into bed, exhausted when they were woken two hours later by her Mom

 **Saturday**

They spent Saturday with her parents, of course they went around the town being introduced as the new Mr & Mrs Evans by a very proud Mom and Dad, everyone telling them they'd pray for them like they were some sort of curse and late Saturday evening they left for Canada to visit Sam's Mom, sleeping on the plane, that generally being the only time they actually found to sleep as they hadn't quite mastered that art in the bedroom just yet.

 **Sunday**

Sam had a smile on his face it had been night most of the flight, that blanket had come in useful, he drifted off and at some point Mercy must have thrown it over them, he'd probably got three hours sleep when he woke up to the best blow job going, he groaned at first, natural reaction, but when he realised that she was actually there doing that he looked around closed his eyes and enjoyed the ride, she'd actually sent him straight back to sleep after than, he was so chilled, he remembered smiling as she got up to obviously visit the bathroom, and her nudging him when she got back

"You alright babe?" he sleepily asked

"You were there babe" she smiled, he smiled and he must have fell asleep because the next thing he heard was the stewardess telling them they'd reached their destination

"Babe" he kissed her awake "We got to go, we're here" he smiled at her smiling up at him, he got to wake up like that every damn morning "Mom doesn't know we're coming"

"No problem" she ran to the bathroom before the doors opened

"Mom's living with my Aunt Doris; her sister, her husband died about 6 years ago and well, they're close, she spent a lot of time there while that man I called Father and I were out scouting and stuff" he told her as they drove to their destination, Mercy curled up on his arm his gear hand resting between her legs, the open top car, music blasting and love going on bringing smiles to both their faces

"I love you Sam Evans, I don't say that enough" she looked at him saying

"I love you too I need to say that enough Mercy Evans" he looked back at her "Here we are" he announced some 35 minutes after leaving the airport, Mercy gasped at the sight of the house

It was almost hidden in the leafy trees surrounding it with lake stretching as far as the eye could see to the left and right. A bridge about 20 metres away from the small walkway about 600 yards away from the two story house that was all windows as they approached with a rather large oak wood door, the two ladies sitting on the veranda taking in the weather and the views, stopping what they were doing as they saw the car making for their house "Mom" he jumped out of the car saying, he hadn't realised he'd missed her that much until he saw her

"Sam" she hugged him looking back at the car "Did you forget someone?" she asked concerned

"Shit" he looked back running back to get Mercy out the car "Sorry Babe, I didn't realise how much I missed her"

"No mind" she smiled, even if she'd have wanted to mind, she couldn't he'd grown up with a family and to have that snatched away in one fair swoop didn't bare imagining, of course he'd crave his Mother's love who wouldn't, she did for her parents

"Mom, Aunt Doris" he looked between them "This is Mercy my wife" he smiled

"You're even more beautiful than I ever imagined" his Mom smiled hugging her as Sam went to say hello properly to his Aunt, Sam looking up as an older man came out the house with a try of drinks in his hand

"Hello" he said looking around waiting for introductions

"Oh" his Mom looked round at the man saying "Sam, Mercy this is Sam" she said as Mercy looked at Sam for a reaction

"I didn't know you had a brother" Sam walked towards the man saying holding his hand out to shake his hand a smile already formed on his face for his namesake he new nothing about "I guess I'm your namesake" he shook his hand

"Sam" his Mom looked at him her face serious "You're his namesake because he's your Father" she told him

"But..." his hand dropped as he stared in his Mothers eyes waiting for the joke

"Big D knew, he always knew, he somehow got Sam running scared, bullied him into leaving me alone because he wanted me and I got fed up enough to follow him so he'd leave him alone" she puffed "But he knew I was pregnant with Sam's child when he pursued me, blackmailed me, then married me"

"Was that why it was so easy to leave him, is this why you wanted nothing?"

"He did the same to us as he did you baby, that's why I left and doing that to you was probably my punishment, I knew about the girls there were always girls, but I really didn't believe he'd do that to you, he made me believe he loved you" a tear fell down her face "And when I found out about, she that will not be named, and the possibility of my grandchildren not being yours I flipped, I investigated just like you, so I helped you get your shit and I was out of there"

"So you helped me get all that?"

"Yeah as much as I could, telling him you were man enough and dropping seeds as stuff, It belonged to you Sam all of it, he promised us that, and I'd always belong to Sam I promised him that" she looked up at her man saying

"So were you guys ..."

"No, I was married, we've stayed friends though right up until I walked out and well now" she looked at this man grabbing his hand as she spoke "We're getting married tomorrow, I thought you're Dad had told you and that was why you'd come"

"We didn't know" he looked at his Mom saying "But we're here till 7 tomorrow night so I guess I'm the give away son" he laughed "it'll give us some time to get to know each other, you've got to be better than Big D" he laughed pulling Mercy to him "This is my Dad" he told her

"I can see the resemblance" she smiled shaking his hand

So they spent the day getting to know each other, surprised at the traits Sam had taken from his biological father without even knowing he'd existed, like raking his hand through his hair when he was nervous, thinning his lips before he said something that might offend, being protective of his girl, an PDA through the roof, they caught each other doing things they thought only they did and laughed about it all day. Sam had the don't mess my Mom about talk with him about twenty minutes before the ceremony took place, they ended up having a very quiet affair with a meal at an exclusive restaurant shortly after and back to the house, for goodbye's cases and cars, they wall went off to the airport, Sam's parents off to Barbados for their honeymoon and Sam and Mercy on their way

 **Tuesday**

Sam and Mercy Evans, just as they had 5 years previous, flew off into the sunset, but this time they were on their honeymoon to Tour India's Grant Palaces for nine nights visiting; Lake Palace in Udaipur, Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur and Rambagh Palace in Jaipur, three very luxurious nights in each before returning to LA.

 **Two Weeks Later**

The newly names Stardaz Stuidos was waiting for them to start a new era of music, the signage had been changed, the equipment had been updated and some very talented artist had been making enquiries about studio space and sign up, they got busy hitting the ground running. A month later as she'd said Mercy dropped her new song on the same day Sam's Dad dropped one of the songs she'd given him and as predicted it blew his out the water, Mr D Evans was fast becoming a name of the past, stuck in the past.

 **Ten Months Later**

Ten months in and Sam was on TV scouting for their three new Studios, answering questions about his new wife and business partner, he had promotions staff out in the field plugging their new premises, Mercy was in schools promoting music with young people and offering classes to those that were interested. Members of the original band had been disbursed into different studios, Mercy was cracking the whip with things, schedules were tight, and she was still managing to let off a song every 4 months or so. They were spending every night together and they were happy, life was just how they dreamt it would be, her sound had totally changed overnight and she was singing soulful songs and had hit mainstream for the second time with her version of **'Fallen' by Mya** which had been out for two weeks when Sam came running in

"Mercy it's number 1" he screamed at her "Your song it's Number 1" he stood shouting "You're amazing" he said grabbing her, swinging her round as he screamed just as loud as her

"I love mainstream" she finally got out laughing out loud

"Lets go celebrate" he suggested

"Always up for celebrating" she grinned as they went to their office, they celebrated everything, the beginning of the day, end of the day, thinking the same thing, the car starting everything they were constantly on each other at every opportunity, their excuse, they were newly weds, and he still demanded she give him permission.

 **1 Year Later**

They'd done well, they'd branched out of central LA they had studios all over California even dipped into Vegas, got themselves a couple of managers to manage four of the six branches and had the two closest to home for themselves, they'd stayed at the brownstone Sam had brought them, their first home although they had holiday homes in Florida and Canada. It was a spacious 4 bed house, that was close to business and they were both comfortable with the area.

It was their usual Wednesday Lunch catch up, they tended to use it as business down time, they'd spend a few hours at lunch getting business straight, Sam insisted home was home. "Mercy" he called her phone for the third time getting her machine "Where are you? I'm waiting" he left the message saying and called back fifteen minutes later leaving the same message. Finally deciding to call the office and getting Gaynor; the Las Vegas Manager, "Gaynor what are you doing there?" he checked the number on his phone asking

"Mrs Evans had me come up for a few days, meetings I guess, I'm waiting for her" she replied

"She's supposed to be at our business lunch right now and I can't get hold of her, she's not there you say?"

"No I've been waiting for about an hour" Gaynor told him

"Okay" he said closing the call down, now he was worried, picking it back up as he saw Joe's name light up

 **Mercy**

Mercy had gone over to Stardaz Studio 2 to go surprise her husband with some afternoon fun before their meeting, Sam hadn't mentioned that he'd got intentions of closing the place for the afternoon, she'd used her keys and walked in thinking maybe he'd had the same idea and smiled as she got to the office to see just the desk light on _'Setting the mood'_ she smiled as she opened the door to find his Dad rummaging through the draws "What are you doing here?" she asked as his head shot up

"None of your damn business" he snarled at her

"Actually, it's my business" she fired back at him

"So" he slammed the door shut and walked towards her saying "If it's your business you can sign back over my studio to me can't you?"

"No I can't not without Sam's signature" she backed off saying suddenly scared that no one knew she was there "Mr Evans" she held her hand up at him as he came towards her "Don't come any closer" she backed up to get to the door, she needed to run

"Why, what are you going to do about it?" he carried on walking towards her

"Mr Evans" she grabbed hold of the door handle as she felt the door do the opposite to what she needed it to do, hearing the slam that confirmed to her his hand was on the door too "Mr Evans" she turned her back to him using both hands to grab the handle to open the door but it wasn't budging his one hand had welded it shut. She felt her face hit the door sharply and hands wondering around her body "Mr Evans, stop"

"That almost sounds sexy bitch" he said in her ear "Say it again" Mercy closed her mouth in protest

"Mercy" they heard outside the door "Mercy I know you're in here I saw your car"

"Joe" she screamed "Help me" before Mr Evens could cover her mouth

Joe forced the door open the two of them landing on the floor in the middle of the office "Mercy you alright?" he asked looking at the two of them on the floor seconds later Mercy was in his arms

"He tried to ….. he tried" she broke down on his chest, Joe could have done a lot more than he did, but this was Sam's Dad he wasn't getting involved, he took his phone out and called Sam

"Sam" he said when he answered "You need to get to studio 2, fast" Sam didn't ask any questions the phone just went dead

 **Sam**

Sam was at there in minutes "What's up Jo..." he tapered off when he saw him holding Mercy "What's happened?" he looked around asking "Have we been robbed?" he looked at Joe asking "What were you doing here babe, god are you hurt?" he rushed over to where Joe and Mercy were standing and pulled her off him, looking at her terrified face "Babe what happened?" he asked as Mercy burst into tears again and fell into his chest clinging to him obviously frightened "Joe" he shouted getting angry for not getting any information about why his wife was in this state "What the fuck is wrong with my wife?"

"In the office" Joe told him, he really didn't want to be the one giving him that kind of information

Sam tried to push Mercy off him to go see what was happening in the office almost expecting someone to be laying dead, but she refused to let go "Babe" he pulled her face up saying, seeing on it that she wasn't about to leave him "Come on" he settled with and pulled her reluctantly with him

His breath was taken when he found the man he called Dad sitting in his chair at his desk waiting "What the hell are you doing here?" he asked "You're trespassing get out"

"I was trespassing in Stardaz Record Company but this is Stardaz Studios and you can't stop anyone from looking at, or even trying to rent your space I guess"

"I'm guessing you have something to do with why my wife's in this state" he looked around the room, checking the broken door he'd missed on his way in because it was already open "So you broke in?" he asked, Mercy still buried in his arm pit

"I guess Joe will tell you sooner or later and I know, that" he pointed at Mercy saying "Which you actually call you're wife, will for definite when she stops whimpering and faces up to the fact that, had Joe not stopped us she was just as much up for it as I was"

"What?" Sam gasped looking at Mercy and then his Dad "You're joking right?" he asked this smiling man "You tried to rape my wife?"

"She was up for it son don't let these bitches fool y..." was all he got out before Sam pushing Mercy off him with some force and dived at him, this time he really wanted to kill him

Mercy was glad he was getting a beating, the fact that he was actually Sam's so called Dad didn't factor for a while as she stood watching Sam pound the hell out of his chest and face, but when it did click she ran towards them "Sam" she shouted, he couldn't hear her she knew he'd blacked out on him "Sam" she shouted shaking his shoulder as she called him he was still not hearing her "Sam I need you" she shouted, he looked but he didn't stop "Sam" she shook him violently "Sam, I need you"

"What?" he looked up at her asking

"I need you to stop babe" she grabbed him round his neck hugging, his on hand grabbing his Dad's shirt neck, the other going in for another punch "You're going to kill him, I need you to stop"

He looked at the bloody mess he used to be proud to call Dad, got up and grabbed her looking back at his Dad's lifeless body before hugging her and crying like a baby "He's brought me to this" he said over and over again. He finally calmed down, they sat on the couch looking at his body waiting for him to wake up, seeing him stir Sam seemed like he was ready to go at him again, but Mercy pulled him back to sit with her "I just had the happiest hour of my life" he told him when he finally sat up to look in their direction "I felt what it was like to have you gone" he stood up saying "For what you did to me, my parents and now Mercy, you're dead to me you never existed"

"Sam I'm so so..."

"Don't, I never want to hear that from you, you'll never mean it, just go and be grateful Mercy's here, she saved your life" Mercy didn't say anything, he didn't exist for her

 **10 Months Later**

"Sam I need you" Mercy shouted as she stood on the small bench trying to get the baking tray from that top shelf Sam had built saying she never used anything up there anyway

"What are you doing up there Babe I told you call me"

"I did as in Sam I need you" she said sarcastically

"You know what I meant" he said grabbing the container from her before lifting her off the stand and onto the floor "Ask next time, please" he said kissing her forehead and walking back off into the study

"Sam I need you" she shouted again before he could get back to what he was doing

"What" he asked walking towards her as she just stood looking at him "Now" he asked smiling

"Now" she smiled as he pulled her in and kissed her hard

"That's great babe and I could maybe totally go with that any other time but right now" she said pulling away from him and looking down "I need you to take us to hospital" she said showing him the puddle of water at her feet

"Why didn't you say?"

"I did as in.."

"Yeah Sam I need you, I heard, you know what I mean" he laughed "Bag, Keys, Car, Plastic" he said over again as he slowly walked her to the car "Keys, Keys where are the damn keys?" he asked when he got to the hall table and saw nothing

"Check your pocket"

"Oh yeah, my pocket" he smiled nervously searching to find nothing

Sam had been that prepared he'd kitted out the land rover with emergency equipment and covered the seats with a thick almost rubber sheet before covering it with white sheets, purchased a small kettle that worked via the cigarette lighter button, a towel for the baby to be wrapped in just in case he had to deliver, watched birthing videos, taken medical advise on birthing everything; he was ready. He hadn't however; accounted for the total panic he'd go into at the mention of ready,Mercy sat at the door on the chair he'd placed there just in case he needed to lock anything up at the last minute, watching him panic about the keys

"You also left one in each car just in case" she reminded him when he got too painful to watch

"Oh yeah, in the car" he smiled nervously picking her up and carrying her the short distance to the waiting car

They finally got to the hospital and 4 hours later they were looking at their beautiful baby boy, with green eyes, dimples, dirty blond hair and big loose curls

"I'm calling him Sam no arguments please?" Mercy asked

"No arguments from me" he smiled "SJ it is, can I call him Blue in the middle" he asked crying as he held SJ in his arms "He's beautiful" he said kissing Mercy on the forehead

"Blue?" she asked puzzled

"Yeah **' _Oh honey, just the mention of your name, turns the flicker to a flame'_** he sung,

 ** _"Listen to me good, baby, I think of the things we used to do, and my whole world turns misty blue'_** she sung as she rested her head on Sam's free arm "Thank you" she said looking at their son

"Thank you Pretty" he said kissing her forehead again, making her feel 19 again "And for waiting for me to come good"

The End


End file.
